The factional national chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has insisted that he remains a legitimate leader of the party, saying that he is not an interloper.
He accused Senator Nenadi Usman of attempting to usurp the party’s leadership.
Abure who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday night, defended his continued claim to the party’s leadership despite the ongoing legal tussle and recognition of the Usman-led caretaker committee by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“I need to make it very clear that I am not an interloper in the Labour Party. If there is any interloper in the Labour Party, I think it is Senator Nenadi Usman that is the interloper,” he said.
Abure maintained that the leadership dispute remains before the courts and insisted that the matter can only be considered settled when the Supreme Court delivers a final judgment.
According to him, the party had previously secured favourable rulings at the Court of Appeal before the dispute returned to court, noting that his camp has appealed the latest judgments and expressed confidence that the apex court would ultimately determine the matter.
“We are not bringing down the house that we built. We won’t be working to bring down the image of the party. But the truth remains that injustice and impunity cannot continue in the way it is going. It is when the Supreme Court gives a final verdict on the matter that it will be said to be laid to rest.
The Labour Party chieftain further renewed his attacks on former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, accusing them of triggering the internal crisis that has continued to divide the party.
According to him, the party enjoyed relative peace before the intervention of Obi and Otti, whom he alleged established parallel structures that deepened divisions within the organisation.
“Peter Obi and Alex Otti destabilised the tranquillity of the party. Before Peter Obi joined the Labour Party, there was no crisis in the party. He created crisis in the party and left,” Abure said.
While acknowledging Obi’s role in boosting the party’s profile ahead of the 2023 general election, Abure said Labour Party already had a growing national presence before the former Anambra State governor joined its ranks.
“There is no denying the fact that Peter Obi brought prominence to the party. But it was a 50-50 contribution. We provided the platform and credibility, while he brought his own popularity,” he said.
Abure also denied allegations that he collected money to undermine Obi or the Labour Party, insisting that neither the police nor the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had found him culpable of any wrongdoing.
“At no time have I collected money from any person to work against the interests of the party. The police have made it clear that there are no criminal allegations against me, and the EFCC has also made it clear that no party funds are missing,” he added.
On the 2027 elections, Abure said his faction was proceeding with party activities and candidate selection processes in line with the Electoral Act to avoid being disadvantaged by any eventual court ruling.
