The Labour Party leadership loyal to Julius Abure on Tuesday pressed ahead with its nationwide ward congresses in all states except Abia, praising what it described as “impressive turnout and smooth conduct” despite a subsisting court injunction obtained by Governor Alex Otti’s faction.
National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led NWC, Obiora Ifoh, announced the successful commencement of the exercise in a statement in Abuja.
Ifoh noted that supervision teams deployed across the country had returned “positive reports,” insisting the party was determined to reposition ahead of the 2027 polls.
“The ward Congress holds today Tuesday, while the Local Government Congress will hold Thursday.
“The State Congress is expected to hold on Saturday December 6 at the party headquarters across the states,” he stated.
Only Abia State was exempted after an Abia State High Court halted the congress pending the determination of a suit filed against the state leadership.
The LP spokesman explained that though the party had decided to comply “even though the court lacks the jurisdiction,” its legal department “has already taken steps to vacate the order,” after which Abia would conduct its own congress.
He stressed that the NEC meeting of November 28 — attended by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission — resolved to democratise party leadership structures nationwide in line with electoral laws and the constitution.
“Labour Party is therefore calling on Nigerians to embrace the party ahead of the 2027 general election. We are repositioning to improve on our capacity to drive the leadership of this great nation soonest,” he said.
The spokesman also warned internal detractors and accused unnamed actors of sponsoring chaos within the party.
“We are not unmindful of the activities of the fifth columnists planted in the party to create unnecessary friction and to destabilize the unity in the party,” he said, adding that some had “repented” while others continued to “play out the script of their paymasters.”
Citing Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act, Ifoh accused the other faction of circulating falsehood about a nationwide stoppage of the congresses.
“Publishing a fake news that a court has cancelled the Labour Party Congresses nationwide is a crime and can attract dire consequences.
“We therefore warn these merchants of falsehood to desist from such shenanigans or we will have no option but to commit them to prison,” he cautioned.
He maintained that the Abure leadership “is determined to move the party forward” and has taken “the painful decision to move on, leaving behind anyone not willing to meet up with the pace.”
The latest development follows the recent injunction secured by the Otti faction, which claimed the court had stopped all nationwide congresses.
The order, granted on November 26 by an Abia State High Court in Suit No. HIN/47/2025, was announced by the faction’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Ife Salako.
According to the statement, the order restrained Abure “and his illegal National Working Committee” from proceeding with “purported and unlawful ward, local government, and state congresses.”
But the Abure camp dismissed the claim, arguing that the order applied only to Abia.
“They are misinforming Nigerians as usual. The interim order is only for Abia state,” Ifoh insisted.
The dispute escalates an already complex power struggle in the party, coming just days after the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Interim NWC forwarded a fresh 34-man interim leadership list to INEC, claiming it superseded earlier lists submitted by both camps.
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