Can LP survive as stakeholders rise to rescue party from Julius Abure’s grip

It is no longer speculative to say that Providence smiled on the Labour Party (LP) during Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. The party, once a minor player, became a household name with the entry of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, as its presidential candidate. However, this newfound prominence has become the party’s greatest challenge. Internal crises, power struggles, and allegations of financial mismanagement now threaten its stability.

The 2023 elections saw the LP and its standard bearer capture the imagination of many Nigerians, particularly the youth who are disillusioned with the dominant political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The LP made significant gains, winning key areas like Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and positioning itself as a major force in Nigeria’s political scene. However, the party’s leadership seems not to be attuned to its new status. Having failed to secure the presidency, some leaders appear more focused on personal ambitions rather than building an alternative platform as a “third force.”

The central issue is concerned with the tenure of the National Working Committee (NWC), which expired on June 8, 2024. Since then, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deemed the leadership under the embattled Julius Abure to be illegal. Stakeholders were alarmed when Abure was asked to leave an INEC meeting, and the party was not invited to a subsequent meeting in preparation for the September and November elections in Edo and Ondo states, respectively.

This is the fallout from a controversial party convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, where Abure allegedly manipulated the process to ensure his return. INEC refused to recognize the outcome of that convention. Even the party’s only governor, Alex Otti, and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, declined to attend the convention, having advised Abure to consult more widely beforehand. In an attempt to legitimise the convention, Abure and his group, after the disputed event in March 2023, endorsed Obi and Otti as the sole candidates for their respective offices in the next elections, despite their absence from the event.

Miffed by the impending crisis, Obi, in collaboration with Governor Otti, convened a stakeholders’ meeting to make necessary leadership changes. The Labour Party stakeholders gathered in Umuahia on September 4th and resolved to appoint Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the Chairman of a Caretaker Committee. The immediate past Senate Minority Deputy Leader, Senator Darlington Nwokocha from Abia Central, was appointed as the Secretary of the committee. The new leadership was tasked with rescuing the party from its current leadership crisis.

Senator Usman, a former Minister of Finance and representative of Kaduna South Senatorial District from 2011 to 2015, will lead the 29-member committee. The committee was given 90 days to complete its assignment, which includes organising a convention to elect new leadership from the ward to the national level.

While addressing stakeholders in Umuahia, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Obi acknowledged the party’s challenges and stressed the need for a robust system to drive progress, stating, “We are not seeking to establish new leadership, rather a system that will guide us towards our goals.”

He acknowledged the existential challenges the party is contending with and noted the need for a robust system to drive progress.

Obi clarified that the meeting’s purpose was not to establish new leadership but to create a guiding system. He thanked Senator Neda Imasuen and other speakers for their insights, highlighting the importance of consultation and due process.

“We didn’t rush into this meeting without careful consideration. We discussed and consulted with various individuals to arrive at this point,” Obi said, addressing criticism and scepticism surrounding the party. Obi urged unity and collective effort to build a strong, effective system. “Let us work together to achieve this goal.”

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State stressed the need for unity and direction in the face of existential challenges. Otti explained that the party’s NWC, led by Julius Abure, ceased to be recognized by INEC as of June 8, 2024, leaving the party without legitimate leadership. He outlined the implications, including potential court battles and their impact on upcoming elections.

He said hence the reason he proposed an all-inclusive congress to establish new leadership. He urged stakeholders to work together to save the party, noting, “It is very easy to say if the party wants to die, let it die, let’s go to another party. But who tells you that where you are going is not worse than where you are coming from?”

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State stressed the importance of unity and direction amidst current challenges. Addressing criticisms of the meeting, he highlighted the need to resolve the party’s leadership crisis.

Otti noted that the party’s National Working Committee, led by Julius Abure, was no longer recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as of June 8, 2024. This left the party in a state of leadership void, with potential implications for upcoming elections and possible court battles. He proposed an inclusive congress to establish a new leadership, stressing the importance of solidarity and good governance to save the party.

In his speech, Otti remarked: “I am aware that some people have opposed this meeting, not understanding its purpose. The meeting was called to address a critical issue facing our party. Since I joined in May 2022, there have been numerous challenges. My intervention today aims to solve these problems for the party’s survival. I am not concerned with who holds specific positions; what matters is the party’s direction. Without it, we risk losing the platform under which many of us contested elections and currently serve our people.

“It is easy to suggest that we leave the party if it collapses, but there’s no guarantee that where we go next will be better. I have ignored media attacks and will continue to do so. We are here to save our party.

“On June 8, 2024, the Abure National Working Committee lost its recognition by regulatory authorities. This means our party has had no formal leadership since then. One option is to go to court, as Barrister Abure suggested, but legal battles can drag on indefinitely. If we lose, every action taken since June will be nullified, impacting those planning to contest elections.”

Otti warned about possible issues for upcoming off-cycle elections, including Anambra Senatorial District, due to INEC’s non-recognition of the current party leadership. He also highlighted the exclusion of party agents for Edo and Ondo governorship elections in November.

“We consulted with legal experts and political veterans like Senator Victor Umeh. We concluded that the best path forward is for party stakeholders to come together and chart a way out. Before this meeting, I engaged with the National Working Committee to explain these issues. Now, we must act to save our party.

“We are not here to dissolve anyone. If your leadership has been rendered impotent by time, it ceases to exist. The solution involves organising a comprehensive congress, starting from the ward to the national level. I had previously questioned the legitimacy of certain party conventions. The response was unsatisfactory, underscoring the need for change.

“In Abia, our priority is good governance. If something isn’t right, we will not do it. The Labour Party should lead the way in good governance, being a party for everyone. I thank the United Labour Congress and the EUC for their support. However, I advise that once you establish a party, it becomes bigger than its founders. Planting seeds today should grow into a legacy for future generations.”

Otti’s call for unity and strategic planning was followed by deliberations among stakeholders to define a way forward for the Labour Party. Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, declared that the Labour Party (LP) is currently without leadership. Umeh stressed that the party’s executive committee is no longer legitimate, having exceeded its tenure without transitioning to a new leadership.

Umeh argued that the absence of a legitimate executive committee renders constitutional adherence moot. He stressed that party members must take control and establish a new leadership to fill the vacuum.

Defending a recent meeting in Abia, Umeh explained that party members can come together to create a new leadership when there is none in place. He criticised those questioning the meeting’s legitimacy, stating they fail to understand the party’s current leadership void.

Umeh’s statements highlight the LP’s internal crisis and the need for members to take action to establish a new leadership and restore order within the party.

Senator representing Edo South, Neda Imasuen, noted the need for unity within the Labour Party (LP) amidst its leadership crisis. Speaking after a stakeholders’ meeting, Imasuen revealed that the gathering aimed to reconcile party factions and address the leadership vacuum, particularly regarding the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recognition of the party’s executives.

Imasuen highlighted the pressing issue of INEC’s non-recognition of the LP’s leadership, including Julius Abure, which has resulted in the party’s exclusion from meetings for upcoming elections. To address this, he endorsed the formation of a caretaker committee to manage the party’s affairs until a proper congress can be held.

The senator urged the Abure group to join the unity efforts rather than escalating the situation through media criticism. Imasuen expressed optimism about the party’s future, stressing that unity is crucial for moving forward.

The stakeholders are confident that the meeting’s outcome is a significant step towards resolving the LP’s internal conflicts and restoring its political relevance.

Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, also endorsed the 29-member caretaker committee established by Labour Party stakeholders, including Peter Obi and Alex Otti, in Umuahia last week. Kingibe, represented by her senior legislative aide, Dr.