Labour Party: Abure faction warns Abia Deputy gov., others over planned convention

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Abure faction of Labour Party has has warned the public to beware of the activities allegedly being perpetuated by some of its suspended members who are soliciting for new membership registration and calling for an illegal convention.

The party said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Thursday in Abuja

The party listed the suspended members to include the Deputy Governor of Abia, Dr Ikechukwu Emetu, Sen. Nenadi Usman and Sen. Darlington Nwokocha.

It added that it would take lawful means to challenge any individual or group undermining its rules and regulations.

Ifoh said the Labour Party had successfully conducted a national convention in March 2024 and also flagged off its online and physical registration across the 36 states and FCT several months ago, with an astronomical figures recorded so far.

“Our attention has been drawn to a viral video of the Dr Ikechukwu Emetu, the deputy governor of Abia , Senators Esther Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha were engaged in an illegal unveiling and inauguration of the LP National Steering Committee for membership registration.

“Only recently, the Labour Party held its INEC-monitored congresses across the 35 states and FCT, with the exception of Abia due to court order.

“INEC has also monitored the exercises leading to the Labour Party participation in the 2026 governorship elections in both Osun and Ekiti states,” the statement said.

The party recalled that the deputy governor led the entire Abia executives and House of Assembly members to the Nnewi national convention in March 2024 where the Abure-led National Working Committee was elected.

Usman-led LP loyal to Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the party and Alex Otti, the only governor elected on the platform of the party had, in a viral media report, released a timetable and schedule of activities to herald the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

According to the timetable, the faction said the party’s national convention will hold on Feb. 28, 2026.

Other activities include inauguration of the National Steering Committee for membership revalidation/new registration and unveiling of a nationwide membership mobilisation drive.

The nationwide membership mobilisation drive, which commenced on Wednesday, is scheduled to end on Jan. 10, 2026 and is expected to connect 10 million Nigerians.

“This will be followed by ward congresses on Jan. 13, 2026, local government congresses on Jan. 17, state congresses on Jan. 24 and zonal congresses on Jan. 31,” the report said.

Ifoh, however, disowned the report, saying: “We do not know which Labour Party these people are working for, or under which authority they are performing an exercise that had already taken place several months ago.

“Who is playing this dumb drum for these men, even when they knew that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has since moved on with the authentic leadership of the Labour Party?” he queried.

Ifoh said that the party was aware of a renewed plot by a powerful politician from the South-East who had sworn to sink the party if he failed to have his way in merchandising with Labour Party, ahead of 2027.

“We are therefore calling on Nigerians to rise up against the plot by one man to turn Labour Party into his personal fiefdom.

“Labour Party is not available for their ulterior motives; the party has moved on. We have had our convention and we recently concluded our congresses across the nation.

“We are presently focused on making greater impact in 2027. We therefore warn every obstructive powers to also move on because Labour Party has since moved on,” he said. (NAN)