"Impostors or Reformers?" - Labour Party Crisis Worsens Amid Suspensions, Accusations, and Legal Disputes

 

The internal turmoil plaguing the Labour Party (LP) has escalated into a full-blown leadership crisis, as high-ranking figures continue to trade accusations over suspensions, legitimacy, and the soul of a party once touted as Nigeria's most formidable opposition bloc.

Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, Deputy National Chairman of the LP, sparked fresh controversy after endorsing the recent suspension of key members, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, National Treasurer Oluchi Opara, and others. He described the purge as a necessary “sanitization” of the party, claiming that certain individuals had become liabilities rather than assets.

“These people were once welcomed into the Labour Party when other platforms rejected them. But instead of building with us, they are now intent on destroying the very foundation that supported their rise,” Olorunfemi declared. He accused both Otti and LP presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, of undermining the party’s unity by promoting parallel leadership and meetings under the guise of "stakeholder consultations."

According to Olorunfemi, the Labour Party’s constitution is clear about authority, with the national chairman and his deputy ranking highest. He dismissed the legitimacy of a meeting held in Umuahia that some attempted to present as a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. “Only two people—Otti and his deputy—attended that event. You don’t convert a stakeholder gathering into a NEC meeting overnight,” he stated.

He accused Obi of attempting to hijack the party structure for personal political gain, while asserting that Governor Otti, despite his achievements in Abia State, remains third in party hierarchy. “Leadership must be earned, not imposed,” Olorunfemi emphasized.

The response from the opposing faction was swift and scathing. Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, acting Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Political Commission, lambasted the Abure-led leadership, calling them “confused impostors” and alleging they were acting against the will of the party’s founding structures.

Ndubuaku questioned the legality and morality of suspending elected officials, pointing to a recent Supreme Court judgment that he claims nullified Julius Abure’s tenure as national chairman. He argued that Abure has no constitutional standing to act on behalf of the party.

“He is impersonating a leader,” Ndubuaku said bluntly. “The press must stop referring to him as anything other than what he is—the sacked Labour Party chairman. He cannot suspend governors and lawmakers who are the only credible representatives of the party across the nation.”

Accusing unnamed forces of trying to collapse the multi-party structure of Nigeria into a de facto one-party state, Ndubuaku warned that such moves are provoking the people and endangering democracy. “There are people being paid to destroy viable opposition platforms like ours,” he alleged.

Ndubuaku made it clear that the Labour Party, backed by organised labour, retains strong mobilization capacity nationwide and warned that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues to delay enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling, they may have no choice but to take lawful action themselves.

“Our structures are intact—from ward to national level. We have the means to respond within days. But we’ve exercised restraint out of respect for the rule of law,” he said.

While the crisis continues to fester, both factions appear to be preparing for a showdown as the Anambra State governorship election draws near. Dr Olorunfemi insists the LP has already selected a credible candidate and expects the people to vote based on competence, not sentiment. He claims the party remains strong and will continue on its path of reform.

Yet Ndubuaku counters that the true leadership of the party lies with organised labour and its millions of members. He reaffirmed that Labour's backing gave Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign its vigor and believes the movement still has the potential to revive Nigeria’s democracy—once clarity and unity return.

Both camps are adamant that their path is the rightful one, but the longer the impasse drags on, the more it risks fragmenting the very base that elevated the LP to national prominence in the last election cycle. Whether this crisis ends in reconciliation or a total political collapse may well rest with INEC—and the patience of a restless, watching electorate.