The Labour Party has issued a statement following the alleged physical assault of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, by a woman identified as Precious Oruche, also known as Mama P, at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The event, which occurred on Friday, has prompted the party leadership to accuse “anti-democratic elements” of organizing the assault.
According to a statement signed by the Labour Party’s spokesperson, Obiora Ifoh, Abure was calmly waiting in line to board a Max Air aircraft to Benin when Mama P unexpectedly attacked him.
Ifoh claimed she maintained the confrontation onboard, despite appeals from flight attendants to settle down, and even after the plane landed in Benin.
“The attacker, Madam P, who is also a known content creator, continued the attack all throughout the duration of the flight, defying all attempts by the Max Air flight attendants to calm her. The assault, which attracted a large number of onlookers, continued on disembarkation at the Benin Airport while she kept recording the scene,” he said.
It was gathered that it took the intervention of security operatives at the airport to whisk Abure to safety while the woman was handed over to the police.
The party was shocked after a video was later released by the woman, where she allegedly boasted of her connections.
“In one of her films released, the lady claimed that she has contacts with the highest police hierarchy, boasted that nothing will happen to her, and vowed that she will not stop attacking Abure or any member of the Labour Party executive because, according to her, ‘you have killed the Labour Party, and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party,’” the statement read.
The leadership of the party did not hide its anger, calling the incident “a suicidal aggression” against Abure and insisting it was politically motivated.
“We sincerely believe that the lady agent was on an assignment to accomplish the desires of her paymasters. Assault and cyberbullying are severe crimes under our laws, and we think that the police must fish out her sponsors and cohorts and bring them to book,” Ifoh said.
The Labour Party called on its members not to retaliate but to remain calm while awaiting the outcome of police investigations.
“We are calling on members of the Labour Party to be calm, even in the face of this unwarranted provocation, and wait for the outcome of the investigation into the unprovoked attack against the leadership of the party,” the statement added.
Julius Abure has faced severe threats to his Labour Party leadership since rising to prominence around the 2023 elections, aided by Peter Obi’s campaign and the Obedient movement.
There have been court rulings maintaining his status, including one by the Court of Appeal, but a Supreme Court verdict in April 2025 called into doubt the constitutionality of his ongoing tenure.
Multiple factions have claimed control, and there has been disagreement about how to interpret the party constitution, when conventions should take place, and the function of caretaker committees.
