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By Sola Ojo, Abuja
The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, says he remains the authentic leader of the party because the dispute over its leadership is still before the Supreme Court. In this interview, he dismisses allegations of impersonation, corruption and working for the APC, insisting INEC acted prematurely by recognising the Nenadi Usman led leadership, and accuses Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State of creating the crisis rocking the party despite being its top beneficiaries from the 2023 general election. Earlier, a member of the party loyal to Nenadi Usman, Kenneth Asogwa, had accused him of impersonation and corruption, allegations he vehemently denied.
One of your critics, Kenneth Asogwa, spokesman for the Nenadi Usman faction, described you as a fugitive from the law and accused you of impersonation, among other allegations. What is your response?
Everything he said was false. It was a classic case of a thief accusing the owner of the house of stealing his own property. He alleged that my executives and I broke into the Labour Party national secretariat and carted away party property. He also claimed that the Nigerian Police were looking for us. I want to state categorically that it was the Nenadi Usman led caretaker committee that broke into the party office. I was in the office until about 9pm that day before leaving. Later that night, they invaded the office, erected their own signboard and took over the premises. Fortunately, they did not know that I had video recordings of what happened. They brought a carpenter who forced open the office door. So how can I be accused of breaking into my own office when I still have the keys?
But your opponents argued that you had no right to occupy that office because the court had recognised another leadership, and INEC now lists Senator Nenadi Usman as National Chairman.
That is where the misunderstanding lies. There was never a vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party. We held a valid national convention in Nnewi in March 2024, where the National Executive Committee was elected for a four year tenure. When INEC later claimed that our tenure had expired, we challenged that position in court. Senator Nenadi Usman subsequently joined the matter after Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti had earlier announced a caretaker committee in Umuahia, which we considered illegal. The Court of Appeal affirmed our leadership before the matter reached the Supreme Court. The apex court made it clear that leadership issues within political parties are internal affairs, and that the recognised organs of the party, including the National Convention, the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee, are responsible for such decisions. The National Convention elected us. Therefore, INEC had no authority to declare our tenure expired.
INEC says Senator Nenadi Usman is the recognised National Chairman. Doesn’t that mean you are impersonating the office?
No. Once a judgment has been appealed, parties are expected to maintain the status quo until the appellate process is concluded. That is why I believe INEC acted wrongly by rushing to recognise another leadership while the matter remains before the Supreme Court. Let me give you an example. A Federal High Court ruled that INEC’s election timetable violated the Electoral Act. INEC appealed that judgment and has refused to implement it because the case is on appeal. In our own case, after the Federal High Court judgment, we filed a motion for stay of execution and INEC was served. Ordinarily, all parties should wait until such applications are determined. Instead, INEC hurriedly implemented the judgment against us. My question is simple. Why did INEC refuse to implement the Federal High Court judgment against its own timetable because it was on appeal, yet refuse to apply the same principle in the Labour Party case? The matter is now before the Supreme Court. Until the apex court gives its final decision, we will continue to carry out our responsibilities.
Many Nigerians are asking why it is so important for you to remain National Chairman. Some even say you no longer have followers within the party.
Who says I have no followers? The facts speak for themselves. They could not even field candidates in Enugu State, where I produced the Labour Party senator in the recent by election following the death of the former senator. Go and conduct your own investigation. Across the federation, the overwhelming majority of Labour Party members remain with us. Their structure exists mainly in Abia State. The NEC elected at the Nnewi convention remains intact, and many of its members are still with us. Even after our convention, our names remained with INEC until January this year. Senator Nenadi Usman continued to parade herself as chairman until the Federal High Court gave its judgment directing INEC to recognise her. That is the judgment we have appealed. Until the Supreme Court gives its final decision, the controversy remains unresolved. That is why we continue to question why INEC rushed to recognise another leadership before the final determination of the case.
Another major allegation against you is corruption. Your opponents say you diverted donations and campaign funds contributed during Peter Obi’s presidential campaign.
I have answered that allegation repeatedly. I want to state clearly once again that campaign donations were never domiciled with the Labour Party leadership under my control. Peter Obi requested that a separate account be opened specifically for his presidential campaign. He wanted certain individuals to administer those funds. That account was managed by the people appointed for that purpose, including Aisha Yesufu, who was one of the signatories. Aisha Yesufu has publicly stated more than once that no campaign donations were paid into the Labour Party account under my control. She has publicly accepted responsibility for the management of the campaign account. Therefore, the allegation that I diverted campaign donations is false. The funds went into a separate account established for the campaign and managed by those appointed by Peter Obi’s team.
There is also an allegation that you are playing the role of a spoiler for the APC. Are you?
No. Someone working for the APC would not have supported Peter Obi as the Labour Party’s sole presidential candidate. You will recall that at the same convention which produced the current NEC, we agreed that Peter Obi should be the Labour Party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. Anyone working for another political party would not have supported such a decision. As I have said before, when political campaigns begin, Nigerians will clearly see who was actually playing the spoiler. Let me also state clearly that the APC was not responsible for the crisis in the Labour Party. In my view, the crisis was created by Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti.
