The Labour Party’s factional National Chairman, Julius Abure, has issued a warning to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding the level of influence granted to former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and his supporters within the party. In a statement released on June 8, 2026, Abure responded to reports of internal disagreements over the distribution of elective positions in the NDC.
Abure praised the NDC leadership under Senator Seriake Dickson for not yielding to all demands made by Obi’s supporters for political slots. He argued that this decision was informed by the Labour Party’s unfortunate experience during and after the 2023 general elections. According to Abure, many candidates who won elections on the Labour Party’s platform later turned against the party’s leadership instead of working to strengthen it.
Reflecting on the past, Abure noted that history has a way of repeating itself, and he commended Dickson for learning from the Labour Party’s mistakes. He alleged that numerous politicians who obtained tickets from the Labour Party eventually aligned with Obi and engaged in disputes over the party’s governance structure.
Abure recounted that the Labour Party made significant sacrifices ahead of the 2023 elections, including accommodating Obi and his supporters. He claimed that most tickets were issued free of charge because the party believed it was investing in those individuals. However, after winning elections, many of these individuals supported efforts to challenge the party’s leadership. Abure stated, “All those elected under the party, Obi took them to fight the leadership.”
The Labour Party chairman emphasized that political parties must maintain a balance in distributing positions and influence to ensure internal stability. He asserted that Dickson’s refusal to grant all of Obi’s demands was prudent, as it allows Dickson to retain loyalists who will defend him when necessary.
Abure also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of exacerbating the Labour Party’s leadership crisis by acknowledging claims about the expiration of the party executives’ tenure. He further alleged that Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti attempted to take over the party’s leadership.
Abure clarified that his remarks were prompted by public inquiries about how the Labour Party managed its relationship with Obi and his supporters during the 2022/2023 election cycle.