….Sacks House of Reps caucus leader, Ogene
The Julius Abure National Executive Council (NEC) of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a strong warning to former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, over their plans to hold a parallel NEC meeting, scheduled for April 9th, 2025. The body described the actions as unconstitutional and a threat to the party’s unity.
The resolutions were passed during the party’s NEC meeting held on Monday, 7th April 2025, at its national secretariat in Utako, Abuja.
In the resolutions jointly signed by Julius Abure and National Secretary Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the NEC said, comprising members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state chairmen, secretaries, and stakeholders, reaffirmed its recognition of the Julius Abure-led NWC, citing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling upholding the party’s authority over its internal affairs.
“The court asserted the supremacy of the party over its internal affairs and that leadership of a political party is not for any court to decide as it is a no-go area for the court,” the resolution stated. It further clarified that “the court DID NOT sack the NWC leadership,” dismissing claims of illegitimacy against the current executives.
The council firmly endorsed the Nnewi National Convention of 27th March 2024, which produced the Abure-led NWC, declaring that “NEC in session reaffirmed the Nnewi National Convention held on the 27th of March 2024 that produced the current National Working Committee (NWC) members under the chairmanship of Barrister Julius Abure.” It expressed confidence in the NWC’s ability to lead the party to victory in future elections.
However, the NEC strongly condemned what it described as “the activities of the Caretaker Committee illegally established by Alex Otti and Peter Obi in a so-called Stakeholders meeting held on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia.” It accused Otti of various anti-party activities, including calling unauthorised Stakeholders meetings and usurping the powers of NEC.”
The resolution further alleged that Otti “conducted LGA elections using another political party” and was “intensifying efforts to factionalise the party leadership by calling an illegal NEC scheduled to hold on Wednesday.”
The NEC warned that Otti’s alleged plot “to cripple our party before moving to another political party where he hopes to contest the 2027 governorship election” would not be tolerated. “His anti-party activities are unbecoming of a highly respected personality and can no longer be acceptable,” the resolution stated, adding that “NEC will not hesitate to discipline him in line with Article 19 of the Party’s Constitution.”
Similarly, the council cautioned Peter Obi, stating, “NEC in session, in exercise of its duties, hereby cautions the former presidential candidate of our great party not to participate in any action capable of undermining the peace, unity, and integrity of the party, as the NEC will not hesitate to issue stiffer penalties if found culpable.”
In a separate decision, the NEC removed Hon. Victor Adam Ogene as the leader of the Labour Party’s House of Representatives caucus, citing “dereliction of duty.” The resolution noted that “the voice of the current leadership of the party is not being heard in the hallowed lower chambers,” and there was “a lack of cohesion amongst our members in the House.” It further accused Ogene of being “compromised” and failing to properly represent the party’s ideology.
Consequently, the NEC appointed “Hon. Barrister Ben Etanabene as the Labour Party’s Caucus Leader in the House of Representatives” and directed Ogene to “hand over all the party’s properties in his possession, particularly all the financial contributions made so far by other Labour Party lawmakers which are in his possession to the party, and render proper account to the party with immediate effect.” The resolution warned that “the party will go to any length to retrieve all its belongings, including monies that belong to it which Hon. Ogene is holding tight to.”
The NEC assured Nigerians of the party’s commitment to good governance, internal democracy, and national development, pledging to provide “a political party that is different, and that has internal party democracy.”
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