Supporters of the Labour Party (LP) engaged in a chaotic altercation at the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday. this was due to an alleged attack on Labour Party Chairman involving the party’s erstwhile National Chairman, Julius Abure, and a prominent member of the “Obidient Movement,” Ms. Precious Oruche, popularly known as “Mama P.” The incident escalated to a physical confrontation on a flight to Benin and subsequent police involvement, deepening the internal LP crisis.
Conflicting Accounts of the Abuja Airport LP Fracas
While the exact cause remains disputed, both sides have issued statements with opposing claims regarding the dramatic confrontation.
“Mama P,” a known figure in the Obidient Movement—the umbrella body of supporters loyal to the 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi—accused Abure’s supporters in a Facebook post of launching an unprovoked attack on her before and after a flight from Abuja to Benin on Friday.
However, the Abure camp immediately countered the narrative. In a statement signed by the factional LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, he accused “Mama P” and “agents of anti-democratic forces” of engaging in “uncivilised conduct” and an unprovoked verbal assault on Abure before and throughout the said flight.
Labour Party Chairman Attack Details
The official Labour Party statement, which termed the event a “physical attack on our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure,” provided a detailed account:
- The Confrontation: “Mama P” allegedly accosted Barrister Abure while on a queue at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, boarding a Max Air flight en-route Benin, and attacked the Labour Party’s National Chairman unprovoked.
- Onboard Escalation: The statement claims the attacker, who is a known content creator, continued the assault throughout the flight’s duration, defying attempts by the Max Air flight attendants to calm her.
- Benin Airport Scuffle: The Julius Abure Mama P fight continued unabated upon disembarking at the Benin Airport, with “Mama P” reportedly recording the scene.
Ifoh confirmed that security agents had to intervene to whisk Abure to safety, and the attacker was handed over to the police for questioning.
Cyber Bullying Allegations and Political Motivation
The Labour Party leadership expressed concern over the “cyber bullying” involved in the conflict, alleging that “Mama P” was acting on behalf of political rivals. They highlighted a released video where she allegedly boasted of high-level police contacts and vowed to continue attacking Abure because, in her view, “you have killed Labour Party and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party.”
The LP leadership concluded by calling on the Inspector General of Police to thoroughly investigate this suicidal aggression and “fish out her sponsors and cohorts,” insisting that “the lady-agent was on an assignment to accomplish the desires of her pay masters.”
The party called for calm among its members pending the outcome of the police investigation.
