The ongoing crisis within Nigeria's Labour Party has been attributed to former presidential candidate Peter Obi by Elizabeth Ativie, the factional chairman of the party’s Edo State chapter. Ativie contends that the disunity plaguing the party nationwide traces back to Obi's leadership and actions following the 2023 elections.
According to Ativie, Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State were instrumental in creating and sustaining the internal conflict within the party. She points to their establishment of an unauthorized caretaker committee in Umuahia as a key moment that polarized members and led to legal battles over party leadership. Despite court rulings affirming the leadership of National Chairman Barrister Julius Abure, Obi and his allies allegedly intensified efforts to usurp party control, further aggravating the crisis.
Ativie also dismissed accusations made by Obi that the ruling APC government infiltrated the Labour Party to foment discord. She argued that evidence to support such claims is nonexistent and asserted that the internal problems are primarily due to Obi's failure to provide firm leadership and his disrespect towards party officials.
The factional chairman criticized Obi’s approach to leadership during the crisis, labeling his hesitance and indecisiveness as a catalyst for defections and divisions within the party. She reiterated that the current Labour Party leadership is committed to repositioning the party, restoring confidence among members, and preventing further hemorrhage of its base.
While the Labour Party once rallied behind Obi during his presidential campaign, the aftermath has seen a stark division between loyalists and dissidents, with Edo State’s branch reflecting the broader national turmoil. Ativie emphasized that the party will not entertain alliances that betray its candidates and urged Obi and other aggrieved members to accept the legitimacy of the current leadership for the sake of party unity.
This development adds another layer of complexity to the Labour Party’s quest to regain cohesion ahead of future political contests, with a clarified call for accountability and strengthened organizational discipline as key to moving forward.