- Says no vacancy in party’s leadership
- NEC removes Victor Ogene as House caucus leader, replaces him with Ben Etanabene
- Obi, Otti summon critical NEC meeting for Wednesday
The Labour Party is racing towards a defining moment as dueling power blocs prepare for a major political standoff in Abuja this week, with former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti leading a fresh charge to reclaim the soul of the party.
This comes just days after the Supreme Court delivered what was widely expected to be a final word on the party’s protracted leadership crisis — but which has instead further deepened the division.
While the apex court nullified the leadership of Julius Abure’s National Working Committee, the embattled chairman doubled down, when he held his own National Executive Council meeting on Monday in Abuja.
In his first public appearance after Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court, Abure declared on Monday that there is no vacuum in the party.
He gave the warning while addressing a public conference before the meeting of the National Executive Committee at the party secretariat.
According to him, the apex court was clear about its verdict on party supremacy, stressing that party matters are internal affairs of political platforms.
The LP chair also threw shade at the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti, saying they betrayed the party.
He said, “Tell them that there is no vacancy in our party. In the Labour Party, we don’t betray our candidates even though some betray us after giving them tickets.
“We also want to urge those who have been deceived by last week’s misleading interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment to disregard the speculation. I remain the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
“Again, the Labour Party Constitution does not recognise the setting up of a caretaker committee for party affairs.”
Abure declared the Supreme Court verdict a “triumph for internal party sovereignty” and used the platform to consolidate loyalty among his allies.
“The court has said it loud and clear: leadership tussles are not for judicial arbitration. This is a resounding victory not for Julius Abure, but for party democracy across Nigeria,” he declared.
At the parallel NEC meeting held on Monday at the party’s Utako secretariat, Abure loyalists passed a flurry of controversial resolutions to include, reinstatement of Abure”s mandate and affirmation of the March 27, 2024 Nnewi Convention that was rejected by INEC, declaring it binding.
They also rebuked Obi and Otti accusing the duo of engineering an “illegal caretaker committee.”
The NEC warned Obi against “divisive actions” and accused Otti of anti-party activities and potential defection.
The Abure-led NEC did some leadership purge by removing Victor Ogene as House Caucus Leader and replacing him with Ben Etanabene and vowed to uphold party discipline “regardless of influence.”
Abure’s camp also pledged continued commitment to national transformation, good governance, and economic recovery.
Signed by Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the resolutions reinforce the embattled chairman’s claim to authority — but they also signal a party now torn by two competing centers of power.
However, not resting on legal interpretations, Obi and Otti have jointly summoned a critical NEC and stakeholders’ town hall meeting for Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The meeting is being hailed as a possible turning point for a fractured party.
In a joint notice, the duo outlined a broad invite list, including 2023 vice presidential candidates, serving and former lawmakers, National Assembly candidates from the last elections, National Caretaker Committee members, Former gubernatorial aspirants, NLC/TUC Political Commission representatives and former NWC members.
Political analysts argued on Monday that this wide-reaching engagement is an attempt to restore party discipline, rebuild consensus, and chart a unified direction ahead of 2027.
“This isn’t just a power move, it’s a rescue mission,” said one top LP strategist familiar with the plans. “What Abure is doing is political brinkmanship. What Obi and Otti are offering is party revival.”
Contrary to expectations, the Supreme Court ruling — which terminated the tenure of Abure’s NWC on procedural grounds has not pacified the party. Instead, it has triggered a full-scale political duel between Obi-Otti reformists and the Abure-led establishment.