Otti, LP clash with Abure over disputed nomination forms

A fresh leadership crisis has emerged within the Labour Party as Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s recognised national leadership clash with embattled former National Chairman Julius Abure over the sale of nomination forms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The dispute followed viral images on social media showing Abure presenting what he described as Labour Party nomination forms to former National Vice Chairman, Ceekay Igara, and other party members in Abia State.

Reacting on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, warned aspirants against purchasing forms from Abure, describing them as “worthless paper.”

He maintained that Nenadi Usman remains the legitimate National Chairman, stressing that only forms issued through the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, are valid.

Asogwa accused Abure of misleading unsuspecting party members and alleged that those distributing such forms were engaging in fraudulent activities. He also questioned why the exercise appeared concentrated in Abia State, insisting that Otti would not yield to “blackmail, intimidation or political theatrics.”

Similarly, Otti, through his Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Ukoha, criticised Abure for continuing to act as party chairman despite court rulings recognising Usman as the interim leader.

Ukoha said both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had affirmed the Usman-led leadership, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission had complied with the judgments. He described Abure’s actions as contempt of court and argued that INEC could not validly monitor any process conducted under his authority.

However, Igara defended the move, describing it as a precautionary step pending the outcome of ongoing cases at the courts. He said party stakeholders were trying to avoid a leadership vacuum should the Supreme Court eventually rule in favour of Abure.

According to him, halting preparations entirely could jeopardise party structures across the states if the legal outcome favours Abure after primary deadlines.

Meanwhile, Abure’s camp insisted it remains the legitimate leadership of the party. The group’s spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, argued that the matter is still before the Supreme Court and that the leadership elected at the Nnewi convention remains valid until a final ruling is delivered.

He dismissed allegations of contempt, noting that similar internal disputes exist in other political parties. Ifoh also confirmed his intention to contest the House of Representatives seat for Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State in the 2027 elections.

He further refuted claims that nomination forms were being sold only in Abia, stating that the exercise is ongoing across all 36 states.

Efforts to reach Abure for direct comment were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his phone were not answered as of the time of filing this report.