Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure has issued a strong warning to critics within the party, including 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, as internal disputes over corruption and mismanagement allegations intensify. Speaking in Abuja, Abure challenged his opponents to publicly prove they gave him or the party any money during the 2023 elections, firmly denying any personal receipt of campaign funds.
Abure declared, “I want to challenge all of them. I saw some of them on television talking about corruption. Let any of them from Peter Obi down come forward and publicly declare what they personally gave to me or the party. Who brought the money? Who was it given to? Where was it sent? I challenge them today to come out boldly with or without evidence and say it. Otherwise, let them forever remain silent.” He warned that if provoked further, he would reveal damaging details about his critics, saying, “When I open my mouth, they will stink like rotten eggs no one wants to touch.”
The chairman said he had previously kept quiet for the sake of peace within the party but now felt compelled to respond. He also accused Governor Otti of not contributing financially to the party during the elections, stating, “That governor who is jumping like a cricket from one point to another, we did not collect a dime from him. If he gave money to anyone, let him come forward and say so.”
Abure announced plans to hold a world press conference to address the deepening internal crisis and reaffirmed his readiness to expose what he described as the truth behind the party’s ongoing disputes.
The Labour Party is currently embroiled in a leadership crisis, with a caretaker committee backed by Obi and Otti launching a probe into multiple corruption and forgery allegations against Abure. The committee, led by Nenadi Usman, has given Abure 48 hours to respond to the allegations or face disciplinary action. Abure, however, has dismissed the caretaker committee’s authority and accused Obi and Otti of attempting to undermine the party’s leadership for selfish reasons.
Obi’s camp has rejected Abure’s accusations as politically motivated, insisting their intervention was aimed at resolving the crisis and promoting unity within the party. The leadership struggle has also led to the opening of all party tickets, including the presidency and governorship, to all qualified Nigerians, ending the previous arrangement that reserved them for Obi and Otti.
As the crisis deepens, both camps continue to trade accusations, with Abure threatening further revelations if the attacks persist. The party’s internal conflict shows no signs of abating, with the potential for more public disclosures in the days ahead.
