Three Labour Party (LP) members of the House of Representatives have rejected their reported suspension from the party, calling it “ridiculous” and a desperate attempt by a “disgraced former leader” to hold onto relevance. The suspension, issued by Julius Abure, targeted Hon. Afam Ogene (LP caucus leader in the House), Hon. Seyi Sowunmi (deputy leader), and Hon. Amobi Ogah, a key member of the caucus.
Abure also suspended the party’s only governor, Dr. Alex Otti of Abia State, as well as Senators Ireti Kingibe and Darlington Nwokocha, the secretary of the party’s national caretaker committee.
In a strongly worded joint statement titled “Our Former National Chairman Goes Mad Again,” the lawmakers condemned Abure’s actions, accusing him of deliberately sabotaging the party to serve undisclosed external interests.
“It’s now clear from yesterday’s display by Abure and his group of clowns that he has lost touch with reality in a bid to avoid political oblivion,” the statement read. “It’s absurd that someone who lacked integrity during his time as chairman now pretends to have the moral standing to discipline others. With the Supreme Court having stripped him of legitimate leadership, he remains nothing more than a shameless imposter.”
They criticized Abure for failing to build the party after the 2023 elections, particularly in states like Kogi, Bayelsa, Ondo, and even his home state of Edo, where they claim he led the party into electoral failures. The lawmakers alleged that under Abure’s leadership, the party operated like a “criminal enterprise,” extorting aspirants for nominations and mismanaging internal funds.
They added that Abure’s desperation was evident in his public antics, including a failed attempt to remove Ogene as LP caucus leader. Now, they say, he has stooped to issuing fake suspension letters.
“Rather than strengthen the Labour Party, Abure has become its greatest liability, turning his personal downfall into a spectacle. Ironically, while he tries to bury the soul of the party, he is only sealing the fate of his own political image and legacy,” the statement concluded.