By Kolawole Ojebisi
The leadership tussle rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a dramatic twist as the Anambra governorship election inches closer.
This is as the faction loyal to Abia State Governor Alex Otti is strongly opposed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition of George Moghalu as the party’s governorship candidate for the election slated for November 8, 2025.
The reaction of the Otti’s camp comes days after INEC’s publication of Moghalu’s name as LP’s official governorship candidate.
The factional camp sees the move as a validation of Julius Abure’s leadership of the party and a deliberate plot to weaken the LP by INEC.
Reacting to INEC’s recognition of Moghalu, Tony Akeni, spokesperson for the Usman-led faction, rejected the electoral body’s position, labelling it unacceptable and part of a broader plot to undermine the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Everybody who is somebody in that committee is tackling INEC eyeball to eyeball on that matter because it is part of the grand plot to frustrate Labour Party out of 2027. So we are working on it,” Akeni said as reported by The PUNCH on Wednesday.
He added that an emergency meeting of the Labour Party National Executive Committee had been convened, with another special NEC session scheduled for Wednesday, under the leadership of Nenadi Usman.
Recall that the brewing crisis in LP came to a head in Anambra State when two primary elections were conducted in the state in a bid to present a candidate for the state governorship election.
In one of the elections, Moghalu, a former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, had defeated his lone opponent, John Nwosu, by polling 573 votes during the party’s primary held on April 5 at Finotel Hotel, Awka.
According to official figures from that exercise, out of 649 delegates, 601 were accredited, 592 votes were valid, and five were declared invalid. INEC officials and election observers were present during the process.
Meanwhile, to exert its leadership of the party, the Obi-backed faction of the LP under the influence of Governor Otti and the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee, conducted a parallel primary that produced Jude Umenajiego, a sitting member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Onitsha South Two, as its own candidate.
Umenajiego won that primary with 180 votes, again defeating John Nwosu, who polled 69 votes.
However, the drama in the party became convoluted with the emergence of another third actor in person of Lamidi Apapa, who recently sprang from relative obscurity, to claim the chairmanship of the party.
Speaking on the development in Anambra, Apapa who has been accused of working for the ruling APC, called on Obi to unite behind Moghalu, warning that the party risks failure at the polls if it approaches the election divided.
Apapa described the lack of cohesion within LP as a dangerous development, stressing that unity should take precedence over personal or factional interests.
“Heading into such a crucial election without a united front will spell doom for the party in Anambra,” Apapa told Punch Newspaper on Wednesday.
He continued, “Winning the November 8 poll ought to be our goal at the moment, instead of needless bickering that gives people the wrong notion that LP is not prepared,
“Obi should be able to mediate and work together with Moghalu if INEC recognises him. The two of them belong to LP and should not be seen fighting against each other. My point is this: Peter Obi and Moghalu are both from Anambra. Why not call the two parties and resolve the issue?
“The election is very close. If we are truly out to serve the people, this is not the time to debate or run to court. Don’t forget we have other party candidates, including the incumbent Governor Soludo, to contend with. If you have a divided house before the poll, how do you hope to defeat those with a united front?
“Prior to the Supreme Court judgment, I don’t think anybody would have raised an eyebrow if Abure announced him or anybody as the party candidate. There is a need to always obey the rule of law instead of contesting it. This is a political issue,”
