A major rift has erupted within the Labour Party as the Julius Abure-led faction has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to former presidential candidate Peter Obi to resign from the party following his decision to join a political coalition.
In a strongly worded statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh on Thursday in Abuja, the faction declared its firm opposition to Obi’s alliance with the new coalition, which it dismissed as a gathering of “power mongers” and “recycled politicians.”
“The Labour Party is not part of any coalition and will not associate with those trying to hijack the dreams of a new Nigeria,” the statement read. “The so-called coalition is filled with the same desperate and frustrated politicians who mismanaged the country for years.”
Ifoh accused Obi of secretly lobbying party members to defect with him, claiming some had already rejected the move. The faction warned that any Labour Party member who chooses to align with the coalition must resign their membership within 48 hours or face disciplinary action.
“Labour Party will not accommodate individuals with dual agendas,” Ifoh said. “You cannot claim to be with us in the morning and dine with another group by evening.”
He criticized the coalition as a platform for opportunists trying to regain power and insisted that the genuine hope for a “New Nigeria” lies solely with the Labour Party, not through political realignment with the old order.
Calling on members to remain loyal, Ifoh urged party faithful to preserve the party structure as the country prepares for future elections.
The development deepens internal tensions within the Labour Party and raises questions about its unity ahead of 2027.
