*Says Desperate Politicians Can’t Midwife New Nigeria

*Usman-led LP Dishes Ultimatum

THE Labour Party (LP) has given its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi 48 hours to resign his membership of the party, having joined the coalition party under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

LP, while saying it was not interested in joining the coalition, described members of the coalition as power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.

It warned Nigerians that the often mouthed ‘new Nigeria is possible’ is a ruse and cannot be achieved with the assemblage of old, recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians in the coalition.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party stated that all those who mismanaged Nigeria over the years are the ones that gathered themselves in the coalition, insisting that desperate politicians can’t birth new Nigeria.

He stated: “We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him.

“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition, and therefore, any of our members who is part of the coalition is given within 48 hours to formally resign his membership of the party.

“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere. People that in the morning, they will claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening, they are in coalition.

“Nearly 70 per cent of Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realised from what we are seeing in the coalition.   

“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into circle of power, people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.

“The new Nigeria of our dream can only be realised through Labour Party, and the party is willing to lead Nigerians along that trajectory.

“I, therefore, urge all members of the party to remain loyal and keep the party structure intact ahead of future elections.”

However, the factional caretaker committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, dismissed the ultimatum by the Julius Abure-led faction, with her senior special adviser on media, Eluma Asogwa, in a statement, describing it as “mischievous” and lacking both legal and moral weight.

He said those behind the ultimatum were “political jesters” with no authority in the party, adding that Obi’s involvement in ADC had LP’s backing.

According to the statement: “The attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to misleading reports and commentaries suggesting that Obi has been issued a 48-hour ultimatum to resign from the party, following his participation in the recent coalition talks and the unveiling of the ADC in Abuja.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the leadership of the Labour Party, on May 26, 2025, publicly declared its full support for Obi’s involvement in the coalition efforts aimed at creating a robust political alternative to rescue Nigeria from the disastrous misrule of the APC. That position has not changed.

“We wish to reaffirm that Obi’s participation in the coalition activities, including the ADC unveiling, was done with the full knowledge, approval and support of the Labour Party leadership.

“The individuals claiming to have issued an ultimatum to Obi are political jesters with no legitimate standing in the Labour Party.

“They are neither recognised by the party nor by the law, having long been sacked by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the highest court in the land, and suspended from the party for their serial acts of indiscipline and anti-party activities.

“It is the remnants of the disorder and mess left behind by these impostors that the current leadership under Senator Nenadi Usman continues to clean.

“Therefore, members of the public, and especially the media, are urged to disregard the distractions and mischief from these discredited elements.

“For clarity, the only legitimate and authoritative source of information regarding the official position of the Labour Party on any matter remains the office of Senator Nenadi Usman, acting national chairman of the Labour Party.”

Recall that on May 26, Usman said her leadership endorsed Obi’s participation in coalition meetings ahead of the 2027 elections and “wholeheartedly welcomes” the coalition, saying he could run for the 2027 presidency under LP if the coalition deal failed to materialise.

Abure, Usman and Lamidi Apapa have been entangled in a leadership struggle, with each claiming to be the legitimate leader.