LP factional chairman Abure holds secret meeting with Wike amid party crisis

Abdullateef Fowewe

Julius Abure, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), met privately with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at Wike’s residence in Abuja on Sunday.

The closed-door meeting, confirmed by Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, has sparked widespread speculation due to its timing amid escalating internal strife within the Labour Party.

The Labour Party has been embroiled in a bitter leadership tussle, primarily between Abure’s faction and a group loyal to Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Abure’s faction recently demanded Obi’s resignation following his involvement in a new opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move that has deepened divisions within the party.

Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) serving as FCT Minister in the APC-led federal cabinet, has been accused by some PDP loyalists of exacerbating opposition party crises.

His meeting with Abure, a controversial figure in LP’s leadership dispute, has raised questions about possible political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As of the time of filing this report, no official statement has been released regarding the agenda of the meeting.

The crisis within the Labour Party has seen court battles and claims of forged documents, with Abure asserting his continued leadership despite a Supreme Court ruling that sacked him.

His faction insists the party has no factions, claiming sole authority through the National Working Committee led by Abure himself.