LP: Abure-led leadership not working for APC — NLC in cahoots with government

The Labour Party (LP) has denied the claim that Julius Abure, its national chairman, is working to advance the interests of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

On October 10, Kenneth Okonkwo said in an interview with Arise TV that the APC would choose the presidential candidate of the LP in 2027 with Abure as its national chair.

The actor-turned politician said the LP, as presently constituted, is now a “housemaid” to the APC.

“I can tell you that Labour Party as presently constituted is now a housemaid to the APC. The 2027 presidential candidate of the Labour Party will be decided on the table of the APC,” Okonkwo had said.

“We know their moves. They are meeting the people now who help people to win cases in court—every ticket in the LP is reserved for APC.”

Okonkwo served as LP’s presidential campaign spokesperson in the 2023 elections.

However, Obiora Ifoh, the national publicity secretary of the LP, in a statement on Friday, described the claims as “calculated attempts to distract” the leadership of the party.

The LP spokesperson dismissed Okonkwo’s claims, noting that “his iconic film role still clouds his judgment”.

Ifoh also criticised Theophilus Ndubuaku, the acting chairman of the political commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), for allegedly “spreading baseless claims” about LP’s allegiance to APC.

“I must state clearly that the LP has been and is still critical of APC more than NLC. We put it on record that the NLC, in all its ramifications, has failed the Nigerian workers,” the statement reads.

“Today, Nigerian workers are oppressed, the economy is not working, there are unfair practices against workers, and nobody speaks for the oppressed workers in Nigeria, except the current leadership of the party.

“If there is any leadership of the party from inception that has been very critical of the government, it is the Abure leadership of the Labour Party.

“For the first time, the leadership of the party under Barrister Julius Abure has been able to record unprecedented achievements.

“Today, we can boast that the Labour Party won a majority of votes in the 2023 presidential election and produced a governor, eight senators, 35 house of representatives members, and several other members of the house of assembly across the country.

“From the 2023 general election till now, Labour Party has been a very vibrant and strong opposition party to this present government.

“If there is any opposition party that has been very critical of this government, it is the Barrister Julius Abure-led opposition Labour Party.

“For any person to say that that leadership is working for APC-led government, it can only be mischief carried too far and a calculated attempt to distract the leadership of the party.

“If there is any organisation that is working for the current government in power, we can assume without hesitation that it is the Nigeria Labour Congress.”