“Peter Obi Is Aware” – Datti Baba-Ahmed Defends Attendance at Abure-Led NEC Meeting

Labour Party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has confirmed that Peter Obi was aware of his decision to attend the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting led by Julius Abure, amid efforts to reconcile factions within the party. Speaking on Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief* on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed described himself as a “peacemaker on a peace mission” and said his actions were part of broader efforts to unite the Labour Party.

According to him, his engagement in the Abure-led meeting was fully known to those who needed to be informed, including Obi. “Every little step I take, concerned parties are aware,” he said. “Peter Obi is aware. I speak with the boss, not with those who move around with him.”

Baba-Ahmed dismissed suggestions from Obidient Movement National Coordinator, Yunusa Tanko, that the meeting was not known to supporters. He stated that Tanko may not have been briefed due to Obi’s tight schedule, but stressed that his direct communication line remained with Obi himself.

The former vice-presidential candidate emphasised that the Labour Party should not be abandoned and called for unity. “I’m bringing people together to unite, understand themselves, and make good efforts again to rescue Nigeria,” he said. He described the party, like many others, as a victim of “the captors of the Nigerian state” and urged its leaders to rise to the occasion.

His comments come amid an ongoing internal leadership crisis in the Labour Party, which has led to a factional split. While several key figures, including Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, now identify with a faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman—recently elected as Interim National Chairman—other members remain aligned with Julius Abure, whose position as national chairman was invalidated by the Supreme Court in April. The apex court ruled that the leadership dispute was an internal party matter and outside the jurisdiction of the courts.

Despite this, the party’s National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ahanotu, has rejected the formation of a new interim committee, calling it unconstitutional and insisting Abure remains the party’s leader.