The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has issued a stern warning to the party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of blackmailing the party leadership amid ongoing internal disputes.
The warning came through a statement released on Tuesday by the faction's National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, following Obi's interview on Arise TV where he allegedly claimed that the APC-led Federal Government had infiltrated LP's leadership and was fueling crisis within the party.
Denying Government Infiltration Claims
In a direct challenge to Obi's allegations, Abure's faction stated: "We dare Obi to produce any tangible or intangible evidence which suggests remotely or otherwise that the Abure leadership of the Labour Party is on the bed with the APC led government."
The statement further noted that when pressed during the interview to provide evidence for his claims, Obi failed to present any substantial proof, only mentioning that Abure had referred to Abia State Governor Alex Otti as a "dwarf."
Placing Blame for Party Crisis
According to Abure's faction, the problems within the Labour Party were not created by the APC but rather "created and sustained by Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, who is presently serving suspension for anti-party activities."
The statement accused Obi of failing to provide proper leadership for the party and urged him to take responsibility for his shortcomings instead of attempting to "demarket" the party through accusations against the government.
"Nobody is infallible and it behoves on anyone who makes mistakes to be bold enough to own it. When good leaders fail, they should own up to their responsibilities. Obi failed in providing leadership for the party. He should own up to his mistakes," the statement emphasized.
No Alliance Plans
The Abure camp also clarified that the Labour Party has no intention of forming alliances with any other political party, noting that they had opportunities to do so in 2023 but chose to stand by both Peter Obi and Alex Otti before and after the general election.
This public disagreement highlights the deepening rift within the Labour Party, which has been experiencing factional disputes since the aftermath of the 2023 elections.
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