The Labour Party (LP) caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman has dismissed the 48-hour ultimatum issued to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, by the Julius Abure-led faction, calling it baseless and illegitimate.
Earlier, the Abure faction demanded Obi’s resignation from the party over his involvement in a new opposition coalition, which includes the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Obi had stated that his decision to join the ADC for coalition efforts was carefully considered.
In a statement by Eluma Asogwa, Usman’s senior special adviser on media, the committee described the ultimatum as “mischievous” and issued by “political jesters” who lack both legal and moral authority. The statement clarified that Obi’s involvement in the coalition was fully endorsed by the legitimate leadership of the Labour Party.
“For the avoidance of doubt,” the statement read, “the leadership of the Labour Party, on May 26, 2025, publicly declared its full support for Mr. Peter Obi’s coalition efforts to rescue Nigeria from APC misrule. That position has not changed.”
The Usman-led leadership emphasized that the individuals behind the ultimatum have been suspended from the party, sacked by the Supreme Court, and are not recognized by law or the party.
The statement urged the public and media to disregard the Abure faction’s claims, reaffirming that only the office of Senator Nenadi Usman, as acting national chairman, represents the party’s official voice.
Usman had earlier welcomed the Nigerian-led coalition movement and confirmed that Obi still has the option to run under the Labour Party in 2027 if the coalition does not produce a unified platform.
The Labour Party remains entangled in a leadership crisis involving multiple claimants to its leadership — including Abure, Usman, Callistus Okafor, and Lamidi Apapa.
