The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party intensified, as the party failed to secure a single Local Government Area in the just concluded Abia State local government elections.
This defeat is a sign that the internal turmoil within the LP, particularly at the national level, is deepening.
The party has been struggling with a leadership rift, with prominent figures such as its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti breaking away from the leadership of Julius Abure.
The crisis originated from allegations of corruption and mismanagement against the Abure-led leadership.
Obi and Otti, along with other party stakeholders, had proposed former finance minister, Senator.Nenadi Usman as caretaker chairperson, appointing her to head a 29-member committee to manage the party’s affairs.
Despite this, Abure has remained in control, following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on October 7, 2024, which reinstated him as national chairman of the LP, affirming the Nnewi convention that produced him.
Although sources indicate there are attempts to resolve the issue privately, the latest twist in the crisis emerged from the Abia State local government elections.
Abia is currently the only state governed by the Labour Party.
The elections were held after a Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which triggered a series of events regarding local government elections across Nigeria.
According to the Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. George Chima, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won 15 out of 17 LGAs in the state, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) secured victories in the remaining two.
Otti’s faction of the Labour Party had instructed its supporters to contest under the Zenith Labour Party, leading to accusations of electoral manipulation.
Prince G.O. Ndubueze, the Abia State LP Chairman loyal to Abure, called the elections a “sham,” claiming that the results had been pre-determined.
He alleged, “The election was written on Wednesday. And we organized a world press conference, where we told the world that the election had been rigged. As we were told, that’s how it happened – 15 Local Government Areas were written for Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and 2 Local Government Areas for YPP. Exactly as we were told, that is what we witnessed after the election.”
Ndubueze argued that the election outcome could not accurately reflect the will of the people, adding, “The local government election cannot determine the fate of the Labour Party because the election was falsified. It can’t state the true position of the people. You can’t use this scam to determine what will happen in future elections. We don’t have any issue, only that the Governor advised or directed members of the Labour Party to go to ZLP to contest the election.”
However, Nelcin Uluocha, YPP State Chairman, dismissed these allegations, saying that his party’s success was due to hard work and voter support.
He said, “It’s as a result of hard work. After all, anybody that’s going in for election is prepared to win. The feeling is not different from the effort we put in.”
Uluocha further noted, “Those are speculations. You forgot that you went into the last general election, where the Governor himself was on the ballot, we won Osisioma Local Government by landslide and lost Ugwunagbo Local Government with only nine votes. So, we consolidated on what we had already built and came out victorious this time without excuses.”
Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, the factional LP Chairman loyal to Governor Otti, maintained that the election was fair and transparent, emphasizing that the results simply reflected the democratic nature of the process.
“This is a contest. In a free election, whether in the community or in the household, everybody must not win at the same time. Yes, we contested the election and people from other political parties won the election,” he explained.
Nwaeze added, “It is only people who play politics with bitterness that say it must be me, or nobody else. Here’s a free and fair election and somebody won. I wouldn’t pick a quarrel on that. I know tomorrow it might be my turn.”
On the national crisis within the LP, Nwaeze stated, “I don’t think I feel bad. In a family, there must be misunderstanding or disagreement. When there’s disagreement, there’s a need to come together as one indivisible family. Sometimes husband and wife do disagree but at the end of the day they agree.”
Meanwhile, political communication expert, Ata-Awaji Anthony has criticized the recent events surrounding local government elections, warning that the developments do not reflect sound democratic principles.
Anthony, a lecturer at Topfaith University in Akwa Ibom, argued that the recent political developments pose a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
He remarked, “First, I must applaud the judiciary for strengthening local government administration in Nigeria following the ruling that local government areas should be governed by elected administrators, not people appointed by governors.”
However, Anthony expressed concerns about the election outcomes, particularly in states where ruling parties swept the polls.
“Does it mean that candidates of the other parties in various states are not loved by their people?” he asked. “I don’t think that what is playing out in Nigeria following the conduct of local government elections in some of the states reflect good democratic principles.”
Anthony warned that the lack of electoral diversity undermines democratic norms, stating, “the beauty of democracy is divergent views, at least two-party system representation at the legislative arm of government to ensure checks and balance, freedom of speech, among others. The recent happenings within the political landscape in Nigeria will not guarantee such democratic norm.”
“More so, it shows that most of the state governors can best be described as dictators. Democracy is, therefore, in danger in Nigeria.” he added.
