The Labour Party has suspended Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senator Ireti Kingibe, and former House of Reps member Darlington Nwokocha over alleged anti-party activities. This move, announced by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), comes amid a deepening leadership crisis.
The suspended members had backed a September 2024 meeting in Umuahia where a 29-member caretaker committee was formed, arguing that Abure’s tenure had expired. They appointed ex-Minister Nenadi Usman as chairman and Nwokocha as secretary, to organize a national convention.
Senator Kingibe publicly supported the caretaker body, while Otti was seen as a key force behind it. But Abure’s camp insists his leadership remains valid, calling the caretaker group unconstitutional.
With both factions digging in, the crisis threatens to destabilize the party ahead of upcoming elections. INEC has yet to weigh in on the legitimacy of either side.
