The crisis rocking Labour Party took a fresh twist on Thursday when one of its factional leaders, Callistus Okafor, publicly declared that he’ll be leaving the party. This move further deepens the long-running conflict within the party that has lasted several years.
Callistus Okafor, who previously served as the National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party and has led a faction of the party, made this announcement during a press briefing held in Abuja. While speaking to journalists, Okafor said he was not leaving alone. According to him, over five million supporters are following him out of the party.
He stated, “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. In the last one week, the National Working Committee and the National Executive Council of my faction met separately and took a decision.”
He added, “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.”
Okafor said he is now aligning with a group called “Team Wazobia Nigeria,” which he described as a non-partisan and socio-political movement. He explained that the Labour Party’s internal problems had reached a point where it was no longer safe or productive to stay involved.
He noted that one major reason for his exit was the lack of effort by Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, to address the internal leadership crisis.
“This crisis has come to a point where it’s no longer healthy in the Labour Party,” he said.
Other figures who currently claim leadership of the party include Julius Abure, who is seen by some as the sitting chairman, Lamidi Apapa, a former Deputy Chairman, and Nenadi Usman, the leader of a caretaker committee.
