Labour Party Denies Leadership Crisis, Warns Nwokocha Against Misinforming Nigerians

The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed claims by suspended member and former senator Darlington Nwokocha that he represents a Caretaker Committee of the party, describing his assertions as “infantile, hysterical and uncontrolled.”

The party clarified that a recent statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding access codes for the February 18, 2026, FCT Area Council election has no bearing on the party’s leadership.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, LP explained that INEC had withheld access codes due to ongoing legal proceedings related to the FCT Area Council elections.

“The INEC statement simply stated that due to the inconclusive legal actions arising from the FCT Area Council election, it would be proper to wait until the cases are dispensed with. But Mr. Nwokocha… misinterpreted the INEC’s statement to suit his intents,” the statement said.

READ ALSO: LP Warns Abia Deputy Gov, Suspended Members Over Alleged Illegal Activities

The party reiterated that there is no vacancy in its National Secretariat and that Barrister Julius Abure remains the duly recognised National Chairman, with Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim as National Secretary.

It further cited the Supreme Court’s decision in SC/CV/56/2025, which upheld that party leadership is an internal matter and not subject to judicial pronouncement.

Labour Party highlighted its improved relationship with the current INEC leadership under Prof. Joash Amupitan, noting that the commission has invited the Abure-led leadership to quarterly consultative meetings, monitored party congresses nationwide, and facilitated preparations for the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

“INEC has moved on towards the right direction as it is not an author of confusion,” the statement said, advising Nwokocha and his faction to “also move on,” noting that their principal, Peter Obi, has defected to ADC. The party also criticized Nwokocha’s performance in the 2023 Senate election, stating he “could not defend his mandate and was kicked out of the Senate.”

The statement concluded by urging the public to disregard misleading information and affirmed that “Labour Party is intact with Barrister Julius Abure at the helm… already working for better outing for the party.”