By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Tensions have erupted within the Labour Party (LP) following the decision of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to join a newly formed opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The coalition, which adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform, aims to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to Obi’s move, the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party on Thursday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the former Anambra State governor to formally resign his membership from the party.
In a statement released in Abuja, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that the Labour Party remains firmly opposed to the coalition, which he dismissed as a gathering of “power mongers” and “desperate politicians.”
According to Ifoh, the so-called coalition is composed of individuals who have long mismanaged the country, and thus lack the moral standing to birth a “New Nigeria.” He accused Obi of holding “nocturnal meetings” with LP members to persuade them to defect, adding that the party will not tolerate dual loyalty.
“The Labour Party is not a vehicle for those with a deceptive persona or a dual agenda,” Ifoh said. “Any member involved in the coalition must resign within 48 hours.”
He urged party loyalists, especially the youth, to stay committed to LP’s original vision, insisting that true change can only come through the Labour Party, not a coalition of recycled politicians.
