Crisis in LP over: Abure defeated politically, legally – Danbaki

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

A former Obidient State Coordinator, immediate past Kaduna State Chairman of the Labour Party and now Senatorial Candidate for Kaduna Central, Elder Yusuf Solomon Danbaki, has declared that the prolonged leadership crisis within the party is effectively over, insisting that the faction led by Julius Abure has been defeated both legally and politically.

Speaking in an interview with the Sunday Sun, Danbaki maintained that existing court judgments have already validated Senator Nenadi Usman’s camp’s leadership, while also pointing to what he described as a collapse of Abure’s support structure across several states. He further argued that recent developments within the party, including elective national convention, congresses, primaries, and realignments at the state level, have strengthened Nenadi’s control and left the Abure group with limited relevance beyond media engagement.

The Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party has just announced its flag bearers for the 2027 general election despite the High Court and Appeal Court position in favour of Nenadi. How do you react to that in your camp?

Of course, there is an existing High Court judgment recognising our leadership, and the Court of Appeal upheld that judgment. We have conducted elective national convention, congresses at the ward, local government and state levels. We have also submitted our list of registered members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the May 10 2026 deadline.

INEC has already closed the window for submission of membership lists. If you want to contest an election, your name must be on that register at least 21 days before the primaries. Those are the facts. So, we are busy developing strategies that will ensure emergence of our candidates in the 2027 round of election, not Abure matter.

But there was an earlier supreme court pronouncements suggesting that the party leadership issue remains contentious. Which judgment should Nigerians follow?

Our position is based on the judgments that recognise our leadership. We have complied with the law and carried out all the necessary processes required by INEC. When people talk about maintaining the status quo, they need to understand what it means. It does not automatically mean that INEC must continue relating with a particular individual. Our position is that we have fulfilled all the requirements and acted within the law.

So, regarding INEC and the submission of candidates’ lists, what is the current situation?

The membership register has already been submitted and the deadline has passed. INEC has closed the process for submission of membership lists. Anyone seeking to contest on the platform of the Labour Party must have been on that register before the stipulated deadline.

We have not heard much about your presidential candidate. Other parties already have prominent names in the public space. Why the delay?

First, we zoned our presidential ticket to the South. Second, we conducted our congresses and primaries, and our presidential candidate is Dr Chibuzo Okereke. That is already in the public domain, and you can quote me on that.

People are entitled to their opinions. We all believe in freedom of speech, and people will always say what they want to say. But if some people say our candidate is unpopular, then it becomes our responsibility as a party to make him popular.

Those who are popular today were once unknown. Political parties help build the profile of their candidates, and we will do our best to ensure Nigerians get to know our candidate.

What is your reaction to those who have aligned with the Abure faction and have emerged as candidates in their respective targeted positions?

My advice is for everyone to go about their activities peacefully. As far as I am concerned, those who are still operating under Abure are merely acting out a script designed to distract people and mislead those who may not understand the realities on the ground.

I often use the example of a race I once watched. Two ladies were running, and the one in second place overtook the leader just before the finish line. The runner who lost reacted by striking the winner on the back out of frustration. That action did not change the result of the race; it only expressed her disappointment at being overtaken.

That is what Abure is doing now. He knows he cannot stop the outcome, but he wants to express his frustration.

Are you saying he has already lost the battle even when the Supreme Court is yet rule on this round of litigation?

Yes. He knows the situation. He is a lawyer and understands the legal position. He knows he no longer has the authority to issue directives to INEC. He knows the outcomes of the court cases. But because you cannot beat someone and expect him not to cry, he is crying loudly.

Certainly we live in a democracy where there is freedom of speech. He is free to grant interviews and make public statements. That is his right. But if you look beyond the media attention, the reality is different. Many of the people who used to work with him have moved on.

During our convention in Nenadi’s camp, several of his former supporters joined us. His former National Secretary has left and pursued political ambitions elsewhere. In many states, reconciliation efforts have already taken place and new structures have emerged.

So, in your view, the issue is no longer just legal?

Exactly. It is not only a legal matter. Politically, the structure he relied upon has largely collapsed. The state executives who once supported him have moved on. We no longer see state chairmen holding meetings or issuing statements against our leadership.

That is why I say we have gone beyond that stage. Sincerely, we have passed that level.

Looking ahead, what should Nigerians expect from the 2027 elections?

Nigerians should expect a highly competitive presidential election. Unfortunately, the opposition remains divided, and that is not good for democracy. A divided opposition naturally gives the ruling party an advantage.

However, I believe the ruling APC is still very apprehensive about the election. My concern is that elections should be won fairly and transparently. Victory should come from the votes cast by Nigerians, not from attempts to manufacture large margins that do not reflect the will of the electorate.

That is what Nigerians should be watching closely as we approach 2027.

So I do not foresee a situation where elections will simply be manipulated by publishing lists and disqualifying people for frivolous reasons. I see President Tinubu making efforts to secure re-election, but elections at the state, senatorial and House of Representatives levels may be different.

The President cannot personally concentrate on every constituency across the country. Politics at the grassroots level is different. Because of that, I believe we will see new faces emerge as governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives.

What is the current state of the Labour Party in Kaduna State? Do you already have candidates for the coming elections?

Yes, we do. We just concluded our congresses and primaries. In fact, I just stepped aside as state chairman to pick the Labour Party senatorial ticket for Kaduna Central. We also have a governorship candidate in the person of Mohammed Lawal from Zaria. We have candidates for the other senatorial districts as well, and we have fielded candidates for a significant number of House of Representatives seats across the state.

In 2023, Labour Party tickets were given out for free and Abure-led leadership has done the same this year. Are these forms also free in Nenadi’s camp?

Politics has changed. There are many factors involved in securing candidates and building a party structure. People often compare the present situation with what happened in 2023, but the circumstances are different.

In 2023, the Labour Party experienced a surge in popularity because of Peter Obi’s candidacy, and many people joined the movement. The political environment today is different from what it was then.

Even the parties that people speculate Peter Obi may join are not simply handing out tickets for free. Politics does not work that way. Anyone suggesting otherwise like Abure is merely trying to attract public attention. Presidential ticket sold for N50 million, governorship is 25 million, Senate is N10 million, Federal House of Representatives is N5 million and that of the state Assembly is N3 million.

So you believe the Labour Party remains competitive despite the challenges?

Certainly. We have our structures in place, we have conducted our congresses and primaries, and we are preparing for the elections. We believe Nigerians will have the opportunity to evaluate all the parties and candidates when the time comes.