LP National Chairman Abure Meets Wike

LP National Chairman Abure Meets Wike Amid Rift With Obi’s Camp.
Obi’s role in ADC coalition deepens party leadership rift.
Two Labour Party factions now openly battle for legitimacy.

The embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, on Sunday paid a visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in Abuja.

The meeting, confirmed by Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, comes amid escalating internal tensions within the Labour Party. Though no official details were disclosed, Olayinka posted photos of the meeting on Facebook, captioning them: “National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, during his visit to the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja today.”

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the timing of the visit has raised eyebrows, as the Labour Party remains deeply divided. The crisis worsened following the July 2 unveiling of a new opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which saw top political figures including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Rauf Aregbesola, and David Mark come together to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.

Abure’s camp had earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, demanding his resignation over his role in the coalition. The faction also threatened to expel him from the Labour Party.

In a counter-reaction, another faction loyal to Obi and led by Senator Nenadi Usman dismissed Abure’s threats, describing them as illegitimate and politically motivated. Usman insisted Obi’s actions had the backing of the party’s national leadership.

Abure’s recent visit to Wike, a controversial political figure and known power broker, is seen by some analysts as a strategic move to garner support or reposition himself amid the power struggle within the party.