In a fiery rebuttal that has sent shockwaves through the Labour Party (LP) ranks, the LP Caucus in the House of Representatives has outrightly rejected the purported sacking of Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as Caucus Leader by embattled former national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure—dismissing the move as “laughable, naive, and misleading.”
The rebuttal, contained in a statement signed by Hon. Ogene himself on Tuesday, came on the heels of Abure’s declaration removing Ogene, citing the Supreme Court’s recent affirmation of the party’s National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman. But the lawmakers are having none of it.
“The leadership of the caucus is not determined by party fiat but by the collective decision of members,” the statement clarified. “Hon. Afam Victor Ogene was duly elected on May 6, 2023, by 21 out of 31 voting members of the 10th Assembly LP caucus. No party official, including a former chairman battling credibility issues, can override that mandate.”
In what appears to be a direct challenge to Abure’s lingering political ambitions, the caucus accused him of authoritarian overreach and desperate attempts to remain relevant, despite being booted out by the highest court in the land.
“If this is Abure’s response to our open support for a judicial verdict that clearly ended his tenure, then he is not just out of touch with reality—he’s attempting to rewrite it,” the statement declared. “His track record is littered with forgery, financial irregularities, and a hunger for power that severely damaged our party’s public image.”
The statement didn’t stop there. It further accused Abure of failing to account for funds raised during the 2023 general elections and other off-cycle polls, alleging that his latest maneuver might be a thinly veiled attempt to access the House Caucus’s financial resources.
“No responsible arm of the Labour Party would entrust even a kobo to someone with such a tainted history,” the lawmakers said. “This party needs a clean break from the past—one anchored on integrity, transparency, and unity.”
With a crucial National Executive Council and Stakeholders’ meeting set for Wednesday, April 9—convened by LP National Leader Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti—the political heat is far from cooling. Observers say the showdown could determine not just the future direction of the party, but also whether it can cleanse itself of lingering internal rot.
As the Labour Party navigates these stormy waters, the message from its elected representatives is loud and clear: leadership is earned by merit, not by political backdoor maneuvers or court-defying press statements.