The Labour Party (LP) has cautioned the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) against handing over its structure to supporters of former presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 elections.
Factional LP National Chairman Julius Abure alleged that Obi and his supporters have a tendency to seek control of any political platform they join.
Speaking in a statement issued on June 8, Abure commended Seriake Dickson for reportedly refusing requests to allocate all key elective positions within the NDC to Obi’s supporters.
According to Abure, political parties must strike a balance when accommodating new members and avoid surrendering complete control of party structures.
“For strategic and political reasons, it is very good for Seriake Dickson not to have given Obi supporters all they needed in the NDC. He needed to bring his own people so that when the chips are down, he will also have people who will speak and defend him.”
Abure further argued that it would be risky for the NDC leadership to allow Obi and his supporters to dominate party positions.
“It is even dangerous for the leadership of the NDC to wholly hand over elective positions to Obi and his followers. We did it in 2022/23.”
He claimed that individuals elected under the Labour Party later turned against the party leadership, adding that no political party should ignore what he described as lessons from the LP’s experience.
“They trooped into NDC with Obi, hoping to occupy every space as they did in the Labour Party. No leader of any political party, seeing what Obi did to the Labour Party along with his followers, will make that mistake again.”
Abure maintained that the Labour Party made significant sacrifices in accommodating Obi and his supporters during the 2023 election cycle, expecting continued loyalty and support afterward.
Analyst Speaks on Obi’s Political Base
The development comes amid growing debate over Obi’s political future ahead of the 2027 elections.
Political analyst Tunde Simon recently criticized some South-East political actors, arguing that internal political interests were weakening Obi’s support base in the region.
According to Simon, exclusion and political rivalry within the South-East could undermine future reform efforts and weaken the region’s political influence.
