Fresh crisis is brewing in the Labour Party, as the Party’s Former Deputy National Chairman, Callistus Okafor is claiming to be the new acting Chairman of the Labour Party. Okafor has during a news conference held in Abuja on Friday, stated that his decision to assert control over the party was legally supported by a consent judgment issued by the Federal High Court in 2018, which he claimed was disregarded. He mentioned that during that time, there was a struggle for leadership between the late national chairman of the party, Abdulkadir Salam, and another faction led by Salisu Mohammed, who had declared himself as the national caretaker chair of the party.
In the aforementioned consent judgment, Judge Gabriel Kolawole ruled that the separate national conventions held by both factions were considered valid. Okafor argued that due to the non-compliance with this court decision, Julius Abure took over the party leadership and continued to build upon this flawed foundation to become the national chairman. As a former deputy chairman and a member of the National Working Committee at that time, he emphasized that he, as well as others, are beneficiaries of the 2018 judgment. He clarified, “The rightful owner has reclaimed ownership of the party. When I refer to the rightful owner, I am not engaging in a dispute over the leadership of the Labour Party with the NLC, but rather highlighting the need for a proper process to be followed. The 2014 convention is the appropriate means to initiate this process.”
Callistus Okafor has been appointed as the acting chairman of the Labour Party. Following this development, members of the 2014 National Working Committee who are beneficiaries of the consent judgment have agreed to facilitate an all-inclusive and comprehensive convention in accordance with the Consent Judgment delivered by Hon Justice G.O. Kolawole. They have also committed to initiating a purposeful reconciliation process within six months to unite all aggrieved members and groups, with the aim of creating a cohesive and focused Labour Party that will redefine political leadership in Nigeria for the betterment of the nation. Okafor has emphasized that his intervention marks a significant resolution in the prolonged legal battle for the control of the Labour Party.
However, when contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, dismissed Okafor’s statements, stating that those seeking to undermine the party’s integrity for their own political gains in the upcoming 2027 elections need to be identified and addressed.
