The Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, Clement Ojukwu, on Wednesday dismissed reports that he had defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), calling the claims false and misleading.

In a statement issued by the party and dated December 31, Ojukwu said he remained a committed member of the Labour Party and had no intention of leaving the organisation he helped to build. The clarification followed widespread circulation of reports on social media claiming that he had joined the ADC.

“I remain a loyal member of the Labour Party,” Ojukwu said. “There is no truth in the report that I have defected to the ADC. I will not and do not intend to abandon a house I committed my resources and energy to help build.”

Ojukwu, who holds the traditional title of Gbazuoagu Nnewi, said his continued stay in the party was rooted in his long-standing involvement in its growth and development. He said he had no reason to leave the Labour Party for what he described as an unknown destination.

The Labour Party, which rose to national prominence during the 2023 elections, has recently faced internal tensions and high-profile exits by some of its members.

Ojukwu confirmed that some of his political associates had left the party, including its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who has reportedly joined the ADC.

Obi’s exit marked a major shift for the Labour Party, which gained millions of votes in the last presidential election and broke the long-standing dominance of Nigeria’s two largest parties in several states.

Despite the defections, Ojukwu said the Labour Party still retained the support of millions of members nationwide. He said party supporters had reaffirmed their loyalty to the current national leadership, led by Julius Abure, for whom he serves as deputy.

“It is true that some of my political associates have chosen to leave, but millions of our supporters remain intact and have pledged allegiance to the present leadership of the party,” he said.

The Labour Party emerged as a major political force in 2023, campaigning on issues of governance reform, youth participation and economic accountability. Although it did not win the presidency, the party secured strong results in several states and won seats in the National Assembly, marking its most successful outing since its formation.

Internal disagreements over leadership and strategy have, however, persisted since the elections. The party has faced legal challenges over its national leadership and disagreements over alliances ahead of future polls.

Ojukwu said the Labour Party remained committed to promoting social democratic ideals, which he said Nigeria needed at its current stage of development. He expressed confidence that the party would overcome its present challenges and remain competitive in future elections.

“We have elected to continue to preach social democracy ideology, which we believe the nation needs at this point in time. We are confident that 2027 will be a year of pleasant surprises for us.” he said.

Calling for unity, Ojukwu urged party members to remain calm and hopeful despite recent developments. He said the party’s experience in the 2023 elections showed that it could still mobilise popular support nationwide.

“I therefore call on all our loyal party members to remain calm and hopeful,” he said.