The leadership crisis in the Labour Party worsened on Monday as the faction led by Julius Abure turned down reconciliation efforts initiated by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. The Abure group said the move was not genuine and came too early, insisting that the dispute over the party’s leadership is still before the courts.
The faction’s position was made known through the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, who said the group had no interest in any peace move coming from Governor Otti. According to him, the governor played a role in creating the leadership problem currently affecting the party and should allow the legal process to run its full course.
The Abure camp maintained that a recent court ruling cited by the other faction was only from a lower court and that an appeal was already in progress. It argued that calls for reconciliation at this stage were misplaced, adding that the matter was far from settled.
The rejection came shortly after Governor Otti, speaking in Abuja, expressed regret over the exit of the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and described it as a setback. During a meeting with party elders, members of the National Caretaker Committee, and representatives of labour unions, Otti said efforts were being made to reunite party members willing to return.
Governor Otti also stated that plans were underway to form a reconciliation committee to rebuild unity within the party following recent court developments. He added that the Labour Party would not take part in the forthcoming FCT council elections and had no intention of joining any external political coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission had recognised the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee, a decision earlier criticised by the Abure faction, which described it as rushed and unfair.
Adding to the tension, the Director-General of the party’s Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, blamed both Otti and Peter Obi for failing to properly manage the crisis. He said actions taken by the governor worsened the situation, while Obi’s refusal to step in weakened party unity.
With both sides holding firm positions, the Labour Party’s internal conflict continues, raising concerns about further court cases and political divisions ahead of future elections.
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