Doors Still Open for Abure to Run for LP Chairmanship, Says Ogene

The leader of the Labour Party caucus in the House of Representatives, Honourable Afam Ogene, has stated that the embattled party chairman, Julius Abure, can still seek re-election as the national chairman if he chooses.

Abure has been struggling to retain his position as the party’s chairman after the Supreme Court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, recognising him as the National Chairman of the party

Earlier in the day, several party leaders, including its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Governor Alex Otti, formed a caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman to assume leadership from him.

The judgment sparked further controversy within the party, with both sides in the suit claiming that the ruling favored them.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Honourable Ogene insisted that the judgement has sacked Abure as chairman of the party. He, however, said that Abure can still recontest for the position.

“Exit the stage, but that does not mean leaving the Labour Party. The door is still open for him to run for election if he wants to remain as the national chairman, but the process must be followed through. He would have to wait when we have the structures from the wards and up,” Ogene said.

The leader of the Labour Party’s House of Representatives caucus alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is backing Abure to destabilize the opposition party.

Concerning the party’s headquarters currently occupied by the Abure group, Ogene stated they would take control of the secretariat within a few days, emphasizing that they are simply following due process.

The Labour Party held its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the nation’s capital, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and was chaired by former Finance Minister Nenadi Usman.

In attendance were the 2023 LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, and the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives who are members of the party were also present.