The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a strict ultimatum to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, demanding that he formally resign from the party within 48 hours after he joined a new political coalition. The coalition, which uses the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform, aims to contest the 2027 general elections with the goal of unseating President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure-led LP faction condemned the coalition as a gathering of “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.” The faction dismissed the coalition’s slogan “New Nigeria is Possible” as a ruse, arguing that the coalition is composed of “old, recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians” who mismanaged the country in the past and cannot deliver genuine change.
Ifoh further alleged that Peter Obi has been holding secret meetings with some LP members, attempting to persuade them to defect to his new party, but noted that many have refused. The faction reiterated that the Labour Party is not part of the coalition and warned that any member involved with the coalition must resign from the LP within 48 hours to avoid disciplinary action.
The statement urged LP members to remain loyal and maintain party unity ahead of upcoming elections, emphasizing that the “new Nigeria” envisioned by the youth can only be realized through the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership.
This development deepens the ongoing factional crisis within the Labour Party, highlighting the growing rift between Peter Obi’s camp and the Abure-led national executive committee. The ultimatum adds pressure on Obi as he pursues his political ambitions outside the traditional LP structure.