The Labour Party (LP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has dismissed recent claims by embattled former party chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, regarding the leadership of the caucus, calling his statements “laughable, naive, and misleading.” The backlash follows Abure’s announcement of the purported removal of Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as Leader of the LP Caucus, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgment which affirmed the legitimacy of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday and signed by Hon. Ogene himself, the caucus made it clear that the role of Caucus Leader is not one assigned by any party official, but rather elected by fellow lawmakers based on trust and leadership merit. “Leadership of the caucus is determined by members, not by appointment,” the statement said. “Hon. Afam Victor Ogene was duly elected on May 6, 2023, by a majority of 21 out of 31 voting members from the 10th Assembly Labour Party caucus.”
The statement emphasized that only members of the caucus who elected Ogene have the authority to remove him, rejecting any external interference as “an authoritarian overreach by an individual still grappling with unresolved allegations of malfeasance.” Addressing Abure’s alleged motivations, the caucus noted that his recent move may be in retaliation for the group’s support of the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his tenure.
“If this is Abure’s response to our support for a judicial verdict affirming the end of his tenure, then he is out of touch with reality,” the statement added. “His style of leadership was characterized by forgery, financial impropriety, and desperate power grabs that tarnished the party’s image nationwide.”
The caucus further alleged that Abure has yet to account for funds raised during the 2023 general elections and various off-cycle polls, accusing him of trying to gain access to House Caucus funds for personal use. “No responsible arm of the party will entrust him with even a kobo,” the statement said. “The LP needs a clean break from an integrity-deficient past and must move forward with transparency and unity.”
The statement comes ahead of a crucial NEC and Stakeholders meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, convened by LP National Leader Peter Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
