National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has advised the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to be cautious about conceding too much influence to former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and his supporters within the party. Abure made the remarks in a statement issued on June 8, 2026, while reacting to reports of disagreements over the sharing of elective positions in the NDC.
According to Abure, the decision by the NDC leadership, led by Senator Seriake Dickson, not to grant all the political positions sought by Obi’s supporters was a prudent move informed by the Labour Party’s experience before and after the 2023 general elections. He said the NDC leadership had learned important lessons from developments within the Labour Party.
The Labour Party chairman alleged that several politicians who secured elective offices on the party’s platform later turned against its leadership instead of contributing to the party’s growth. “They say history usually repeats itself. Senator Dickson and Co have seen their trajectory and learnt from what happened to us,” Abure stated.
He further claimed that the Labour Party leadership made significant sacrifices ahead of the 2023 elections by accommodating the interests of Obi and many of his supporters. According to him, numerous party tickets were allocated to Obi’s allies, with many granted at no cost because the party believed it was investing in individuals who would strengthen its future.
Abure, however, alleged that many of those elected on the Labour Party platform eventually aligned with Obi and became involved in disputes over the party’s leadership structure. He claimed that elected officials backed efforts to challenge the party leadership after benefiting from its platform, insisting that political parties must maintain a balance in the distribution of influence and positions to ensure internal stability.
He also commended Dickson for retaining room for his own loyalists within the NDC, arguing that every political leader needs dependable allies who can defend and support them when challenges arise. Abure further accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of contributing to the Labour Party’s post-election leadership crisis, alleging that some party leaders accepted claims regarding the expiration of the tenure of party executives. He specifically alleged that Peter Obi and Alex Otti subsequently moved to take control of the party’s leadership, adding that his comments were prompted by questions from Nigerians about how the Labour Party handled its relationship with Obi and his supporters during the 2022/2023 election cycle.
Elijah Adeyemi
No comments:
Post a Comment