Kenneth Okonkwo, former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, has resigned from the party, citing internal and leadership crises. He emphasized that his political journey is aimed at good governance, which he believes cannot be achieved within the current structure of the LP. Okonkwo pledged continued loyalty to the Nigerian people and expressed willingness to explore other political affiliations.
His resignation will take effect on February 25, 2025, coinciding with the second anniversary of the 2023 presidential election. Okonkwo criticized the party’s leadership, particularly Julius Abure, for prioritizing personal interests over the party’s welfare, and claimed that the caretaker committee’s efforts have been thwarted by legal disputes.
Since June 2024, Okonkwo has publicly denounced the LP, describing it as “a secret society led by a group of clowns,” and expressed doubt about Peter Obi’s ability to build a winning party. He previously left the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 over the latter’s Muslim-Muslim ticket for the presidential race.
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The Labour Party has been grappling with persistent leadership turmoil since Lamidi Apapa proclaimed himself the acting national chairman. Tensions reached a boiling point in 2024 during a contentious national convention held in Anambra. In this event, Abure was re-elected despite significant opposition, which led the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deem the proceedings as unmonitored. In response, the party’s board of trustees characterized the convention as a sham and demanded Abure’s removal from his position.
In February 2024, accusations of misappropriation against Abure led to demands for his ousting. Subsequent court rulings restricted Abure and other party officials from acting as national officers. In September, a new caretaker committee was appointed amidst ongoing disputes over leadership legitimacy.
INEC invalidated Abure’s leadership, stating that the national convention breached legal protocols. However, a federal high court ruling on October 8 confirmed Abure’s position, ordering INEC to recognize him as the legitimate chairman, a decision subsequently upheld by the court of appeal on January 17, 2025, affirming the validity of Abure’s leadership and the earlier conventions.
