BREAKING: Labour Party Faction Suspends Governor Otti, Senator Kingibe Over Alleged Anti-Party Activities

A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Julius Abure has suspended Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over alleged anti-party activities.

The indefinite suspensions were announced in a statement released on Wednesday by Umar Farouk Ibrahim, National Secretary of the Abure-led LP faction.

Others affected by the suspension include Darlington Nwokocha, Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowunmi.

According to Farouk, the decision followed the submission of a report by a five-member disciplinary committee chaired by Ayo Olorunfemi, the party’s Deputy National Chairman. The committee was inaugurated on 2 May to investigate the affected members over alleged anti-party activities.

Farouk said the party’s national executive committee had “ratified the recommendations of the panel,” and that the suspended individuals “will no longer act for and on behalf of the party.”

“All concerned institutions including the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly, INEC and security agencies among others are to take note,” he said.

Farouk also addressed the omission of Nenadi Usman, Chair of the party’s caretaker committee, from the list of suspended members. He said Usman is not a registered member of the Labour Party and therefore does not qualify for disciplinary action.

“We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support Group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party,” Farouk stated.

The statement also clarified the party’s stance on recent discussions around forming a coalition of opposition parties. Farouk said the LP under Abure is not interested in such a coalition, adding that its initiators “lack the capacity, character, and competence” to lead such an arrangement.

The Labour Party is currently split into two factions — one led by Julius Abure and the other controlled by a caretaker committee headed by Nenadi Usman.

Earlier, the Usman-led faction had set up a panel chaired by Senator Kingibe to investigate Abure over allegations of corruption, financial misappropriation, and anti-party conduct.

Usman, speaking at a separate press conference, accused Abure of “persistently parading himself as national chairman of the party despite being removed” by the Supreme Court.