A deepening rift has erupted within Nigeria’s Labour Party as the faction led by Julius Abure has issued a blunt 48-hour ultimatum to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, demanding his immediate resignation following his alignment with a new opposition coalition.
The party, through its spokesperson, Obiora Ifoh, expressed fierce disapproval of Obi’s recent involvement in the coalition spearheaded by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), labeling it a conclave of “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians.”
“Peter Gregory Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has effectively joined a rival coalition,” Ifoh declared in a statement released Thursday. “We are therefore giving him 48 hours to resign his membership from the Labour Party.”
Obi, who appeared publicly at the unveiling of the ADC-led coalition in Abuja, acknowledged his participation but noted the decision was made after careful consideration.
Still, his presence — and reported efforts to court other Labour Party members — has ignited fury within Abure’s camp.
“We have credible information that Obi has been engaging in secret meetings with some of our members, urging them to defect,” Ifoh alleged. “Many have declined, and we appreciate their loyalty.”
The Labour Party leadership reiterated that it does not endorse the coalition, drawing a stark line between its platform and what it sees as the coalition’s old-guard politics.
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“Our party is not a safe haven for double agents,” Ifoh continued. “We cannot afford to entertain those who, by day, wear Labour Party colors, but by night, dance to the tune of another alliance.”
The factional leadership went further, accusing the coalition of representing everything young Nigerians have rejected.
“Youths — who make up nearly 70 percent of our population — are tired of the old ways and the same political faces,” the statement said. “This coalition does not reflect their aspirations. It’s a desperate move by political veterans seeking relevance.”
While the party under Abure is doubling down on its ideological stance and urging its base to stay united, observers note that the internal conflict could splinter the party’s fragile structure, especially with the 2027 general elections drawing nearer.
Peter Obi has yet to respond to the ultimatum as of press time.