The internal crisis within the Labour Party took a new turn on Thursday as Callistus Okafor, one of the party’s four factional national chairmen, officially announced his departure.
Okafor, a former National Vice-Chairman of the LP, disclosed his decision at a press conference in Abuja. His exit adds to the already fragmented leadership struggle involving Julius Abure, Lamidi Apapa, and Nenadi Usman, who also claim control of the party.
“My team and I had carefully looked at what is happening in the Labour Party, including the crises that have been going on for seven years, and wondered how long it will continue,” he said.
Okafor revealed that the National Working Committee and National Executive Council of his faction met in the past week and jointly resolved to leave the party. He claimed to be exiting the LP with over five million supporters.
“I hereby stand today to announce to Nigerians and all the Labour Party faithful who are under my own faction that we are pulling out today as a team and leaving with our over five million supporters under my control, as a factional national chairman of the Labour Party,” he declared.
He further announced that his next political move is to lead Team Wazobia Nigeria, which he described as a socio-political and non-partisan movement.
“We are moving from the Labour Party to Team Wazobia Nigeria, a socio-political and non-partisan movement. This crisis has come to a point where it’s no longer healthy in the Labour Party,” Okafor added.
Central to his reasons for leaving was what he described as the failure of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to address the lingering leadership crisis.
According to Okafor, Obi’s handling of the party’s internal strife reflects his inability to lead a more complex nation.
“When His Excellency, Peter Obi joined us in 2022, what did he do?
“He supported Abure, who has become his archenemy today. He supported him in everything he did despite the warning by our former National Treasurer, Ms Oluchi Opara, about his several embezzlements of Labour Party money.
“But he never said anything and that partly contributed to his loss at the 2023 election. As they say, charity begins at home. Unfortunately, this is the man the media portrays as a good man who could not keep us in the Labour Party together.
“This is the time for reality. So, if he can’t govern the Labour Party, for me, he can’t govern Nigeria. And that is why I have to leave,” he asserted.
Okafor also dismissed the possibility of joining the Peoples Democratic Party, citing its internal instability and constant defection of members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I don’t know whether to say their crisis is worse than that of the Labour Party. You can see their governors and National Assembly members defecting every day into APC.
“What it means is that APC is the appealing party as of today. As of today, Mr President seems to be the only candidate ready even though he has not declared his intention for 2027,” he said.
