The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took a dramatic turn on Monday as two rival factions within the party summoned separate meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC), signaling a deepening rift over the party’s leadership and direction.
The move follows Friday’s judgement by the Supreme Court, which many observers believe has emboldened opposing camps to assert control over the party’s structures ahead of upcoming political realignments.
Julius Abure, the embattled national chairman of the party, convened a NEC meeting which is expected to be held at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja. The meeting was announced in a statement by Obiora Ifoh, the party’s national publicity secretary.
“PRESS INVITATION: The National Executive Committee meeting of the Labour Party held on Monday, April 7, 2025, at the National Party Secretariat,” the invitation read.
In a parallel move, Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and the party’s only sitting governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, called for a separate NEC meeting and a stakeholders’ summit scheduled to hold on Wednesday, April 9, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
The Obi-Otti meeting, tagged a Town Hall Engagement, is expected to bring together key stakeholders within the party, including the 2023 vice-presidential candidate, serving and former senators, House of Representatives members, and other candidates who contested under the party’s banner in the last general election.
“The two leading figures of the Labour Party, the 2023 presidential flag bearer Peter Obi and the sole state governor of the party, Alex Oti of Abia State, have summoned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party in Abuja on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
“In a notice signed by the two men, the NEC meeting shall be followed concurrently by an interactive Town Hall Engagement with major stakeholders and other organs of the party at Transcorp Hilton Hotel,” the invitation read in part.
