LP Crisis: Peter Obi Backs Abure-led NWC

Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has thrown his support behind Julius Abure and the National Working Committee (NWC) following a solidarity visit to the LP national headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

The former Governor of Anambra State, who previously distanced himself from the party’s contentious national convention held in Nnewi, made a notable appearance, marking a shift in his stance amidst ongoing leadership disputes.

During the visit, Obi met with Abure and other party leaders, endorsing the newly elected NWC. This move aligns him against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which has been vocal about its disapproval of Abure’s leadership and has called for his removal.

The NLC Political Commission had rejected the legitimacy of the Nnewi convention that reinstated Abure as national chairman.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Obi urged party members to prioritize national interests over personal disputes, emphasizing the need for unity within the party.

“For now, let us talk about how we are going to survive till then because we politicians always focus on the next election and not about human beings,” Obi said. “For me, when they survive the next election, we can talk about the election. Let us focus on Nigeria and see that Nigeria works; if Nigeria is working, the Labour Party will work.”

Abure welcomed Obi’s visit, calling for reconciliation among party factions. He appealed to those discontented by the Nnewi convention to join forces for the party’s future success.

“I want to say this very clearly, the convention has come and gone; all those who are still angry with us over the Nnewi convention, we want to appeal to them to come together and work with us to build the party for a new Nigeria that has a vision,” Abure said.

The visit signifies a potential turning point for the Labour Party as it seeks to navigate its internal crisis and present a unified front in upcoming elections.