The Labour Party National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has accused the Presidency and LP factional chairman, Julius Abure, of orchestrating the ongoing crisis within the party.

The Usman-led committee is backed by former LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

The committee alleged that both Abure and key figures within the Presidency were working to destabilise the LP and weaken Obi’s 2027 presidential prospects.

The party remains divided as the 2027 election approaches, with internal strife threatening to erode the unity it enjoyed during the 2023 polls.

Despite recent defections of prominent LP members to the All Progressives Congress, the Usman committee insisted that Obi remained the strongest contender and would triumph in the next general election.

The spokesman for the caretaker committee, Tony Akeni, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, refuted a statement from the Presidency dismissing Obi’s chances in 2027.

In a recent television interview, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, claimed that several of Obi’s close associates had either joined the APC or were in advanced talks. 

“Governors are joining us on their own. Some key handlers of Peter Obi from the last election have also come on board.

“One of his media spokesmen is already in discussions. They see our direction is right, and we’re building a national consensus,” Bwala said.

Akeni, however, dismissed these comments, alleging that the defections were the result of a covert alliance between Abure and the ruling APC.

“We are aware of a well-coordinated espionage mission aimed at crippling the Labour Party from within ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Akeni stated.

“They plan to entice Obi’s high-ranking allies—campaign directors, media aides, and trusted associates—to defect.

“The goal is to demoralise Obi, derail the Obidient movement, and diminish the LP’s 2027 prospects,” he said.

Akeni added that regardless of the defections, Obi’s political destiny remained intact. 

“No matter how many fall for the ruling party’s schemes, Peter Obi will still emerge as Nigeria’s most transparently elected president in 2027.

“Those defecting to the ‘food-is-ready’ camp of the APC will wear the badge of shame when Nigerians rise to reclaim their country through the Labour Party,” he warned.

The caretaker committee also expressed concern that Abure continued to parade himself as LP’s national chairman despite the Supreme Court ruling, which it claimed invalidated his leadership.

In response, the Abure-led faction dismissed the allegations as baseless.

In a phone interview with The PUNCH, factional LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, accused Usman and her allies of plotting to destabilise the party.

“It’s laughable that Nenadi Usman, who once tried to hand over the party to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s Social Democratic Party, is making such claims,” Ifoh said.

“Even Akeni and others are likely on their way to the APC. We see the signs and encourage them to make their move now so we can rebuild our party without distractions,” he added.

Ifoh also alleged that Usman and her group had promised to transfer the LP structure to another party.

“She said it on live TV—everyone saw it. These people are bent on tearing the party apart.

“But they forget that neither Abure nor Ifoh is contesting in 2027. They are. Let’s see how they intend to win while setting fire to their political platform,” he added.

Blame Obi for your woes, APC kicks

Reacting, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, warned Otti’s camp to leave the ruling party out of their leadership mess.

Arodiogbu argued that the blame for the LP crisis should instead be directed to Obi, who he claimed had failed in his responsibility to unite the opposition party.

He said, “It is the comment of a failed father in a family. You know the role of a father is to create harmony and set a direction. But when he fails in his duty, he will blame other families for his woes.

“That is what LP is doing. It is called the blame game. They can blame the APC for all they care.

“The person they should blame instead is Peter Obi. He does not have the capacity to build. Instead, he will allow any platform he uses to scatter so he can find people to blame for his failures.

“Otherwise, after a party has lost an election, the responsibility falls on him to hold the party together and create unity. He failed to do so. Obi couldn’t consolidate his success ahead of the next election.”