The Northern Obidients Youth Assembly (NOYA) has alleged that it possesses details of plans by individuals within the Labour Party (LP) to destabilize the party, thereby weakening its structure and rendering it powerless ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Coordinator of NOYA, Hussaini Mukhtar, in a statement, alleged that the Nigeria Labour Congress National Transition Committee (NLC NTC) reportedly met with the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, in a fresh move to destabilize the Labour Party’s structure. According to NOYA, their agenda is to use Governor Otti to play a role similar to that of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike in the PDP, thereby destroying the party from within and paving the way for the Governor to join another party.
He said that the NTC had misinformed the Governor, claiming that he remains the Leader of the Labour Party because he is the highest elected public servant in the party. According to the group, this position is alien to the Labour Party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
The group further alleged that there are plans to form an illegal parallel National Working Committee (NWC) for the party in an attempt to destabilize the party, create a crisis, and use the situation as a pretext to join another party.
“We were reliably informed about the decision to form an illegal parallel NWC for the party in the coming days. This will be counterproductive and will deepen the crisis in the party.
“We advise His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, to consider the sacrifices of the Obidients and His Excellency Peter Obi in providing him the platform that brought him to power. He should be wary of the NTC, as they do not mean well for our party.
“The Governor should be aware that this period is crucial, and there is a need to avoid actions that will destabilize the party or deepen the crisis the party is already facing. It is possible for him to quietly join the APC if he so wishes, without destroying Peter Obi’s chances,” the statement said.
Furthermore, the group claimed that all these moves by the NTC are orchestrated by other political parties as part of their efforts to weaken the opposition and pave the way for a consensus candidate to win seamlessly in the 2027 presidential election. They allege that the Governor is attempting to use this opportunity to negotiate a second term backed by federal support.
“They know that the Labour Party is a strong force that will dislodge the APC in 2027, so they are now using the NTC as a tool to destabilize the party, as they have already destabilized the PDP.
“It will be very unfortunate if Governor Otti allows himself to be used by another party and the NTC to destroy the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement that gave him the platform to win the election in 2023.
“This is the time to come together and work together to strengthen our structures across the country. The other parties are busy buying up opposition political parties and their members. Let us put our heads together to form a formidable force to take over power in 2027,” the statement added.
Mukhtar, however, warned those involved in this scheme to desist from being willing tools for the fractionalization of the Obidient Movement and the Labour Party. Instead, they should focus on supporting H. E. Peter Obi’s agenda to create a new Nigeria that works for all. He insisted that this is the time for the Bar Julius Abure-led NWC to show strength and take decisive action to ensure the preservation of our collective heritage and stop these unnecessary distractions.
“The Labour Party leadership should now wield its big stick and ensure discipline within its ranks,” the statement concluded.
