Former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has announced his resignation from the party, citing internal leadership crises and lack of preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

Okonkwo made this known in a press statement he personally signed on Tuesday, expressing disappointment over the party’s current state.

He stated, “My entrance to politics is for good governance, and I will continue to work for it to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great country of incorruptible men. This aim can no longer be realised within Labour Party as presently constituted.”

Declaring that the party is “non-existent” in its present form, he added, “Since the party is non-existent as presently constituted, I am constrained to resign my membership of the party.”

To his supporters, Okonkwo assured continued loyalty, saying, “To all Nigerians of goodwill who supported us when we needed them most, I pledge my continued loyalty to the Nigerian people in all I will decide to do in my political future.”

The Nollywood veteran also revealed his openness to joining another political platform, stating, “This resignation takes effect from the 25th of February, 2025, which marks the second anniversary of the presidential election of 2023, after which I will be at liberty to join other well-meaning and like-minded Nigerians in charting a great future of good governance for this great country blessed by God.”

Okonkwo blamed the party’s woes on leadership struggles, noting that the tenure of its executives had long expired, while the caretaker committee meant to restore order had been stalled by endless legal battles.

He took a swipe at LP’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over the survival of the party.

“The former National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, and his former National Working Committee, having conducted no national convention known to law, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the courts having held that the issue of the leadership of a political party is the internal affair of a political party for which the courts do not have the jurisdiction to entertain, there’s no effective leadership of Labour Party at the national level.”

He further explained that the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, which was set up by the National Executive Council (NEC) to organize congresses and a convention within six months, was hindered from functioning due to legal roadblocks allegedly created by Abure and his allies.

“Unfortunately, Abure and his colleagues, with the collaboration of outside forces, expectedly, being political jobbers, launched unnecessary legal challenges against this Caretaker Committee that have inhibited it from functioning. It’s more than six months after the inauguration of the committee, and the committee has not even taken off, leading many to conclude that the objective of these politicians of bread and butter with their outside collaborators is to bog down the serious members of Labour Party with frivolous and unnecessary litigation till the 2027 election is over.”

Okonkwo questioned why the party’s leadership had not fought to reclaim seats lost through defections but was instead focused on legal battles to maintain control.

“Isn’t it curious that a national executive of a political party whose elected members are defecting every day to other parties, and who can not wage legal battles to recover these seats for their party, is waging ferocious legal battles to maintain their destructive, choking hold on the party?” he asserted.

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, over alleged anti-party activities.

State PDP Chairman, Abraham Amah, announced the decision during a State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting in Umuahia on Tuesday.

He stated that Wabara’s suspension was linked to his endorsement of Governor Alex Otti for a second term, just five months into Otti’s administration in October 2023.

Amah stressed the party’s commitment to maintaining discipline and loyalty among its members, saying, “True leadership and progress require a dedicated and loyal team and not a crowd. The PDP needs individuals who understand the sacrifices necessary to reposition the party for electoral success and for the transformation of Abia State.”

He cited a memo from the party’s State Treasurer, Chizurum Kalu, calling for Wabara’s suspension due to statements deemed detrimental to the party’s interests.

The memo, he explained, accused Wabara of actions that violated the PDP Constitution, specifically Chapter 10, Article 58(c) and (f), which prohibit conduct that brings the party into disrepute.

“In moving a motion that was seconded by the State Organising Secretary, Obinna Okey, the State Treasurer requested that the BOT chairman be debarred from holding any party office and as well, suspended as the BOT chairman,” Amah said.

He called for a renewed focus on strengthening the party, urging members to actively contribute to its growth.

“If you are in this party, be ready to stand for it, work for it, and defend it. We do not need passengers, we need partners in progress,” he stated.

The PDP chairman further explained that the SEC invoked Articles 57(1), (2), (3), 58(1)(b) & (f), and 59(1) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended) to suspend Wabara for one month and bar him from holding any party office.

He added, “Article 58(1) and Article 59(1) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) empower the State Executive Committee (SEC) to discipline any member of the Party, who commits any offence(s) provided by the Party’s Constitution, irrespective of the member’s status.”

Amah noted that despite several demands for Wabara to clarify or refute the statement attributed to him, he failed to respond.

“Our attention was drawn to a statement credited to Senator Adolphus Wabara, sometime in October and circulated on social media platforms and national dailies, wherein the said Senator threw caution to the wind and in a brazen display of sabotage to the Party, unilaterally endorsed the Labour Party Governor of Abia State, Gov Alex Chioma Otti, for a second term in office, barely five months after the inauguration and thereby, brought the party to disrepute, hatred and contempt,” he stated.

To ensure due process, the party has set up a seven-member disciplinary committee to investigate Wabara’s actions. The committee will operate within the party’s established disciplinary framework.

The PDP leadership urged members to reaffirm their commitment to the party’s objectives, emphasizing the need to reclaim its influence in Abia State politics.

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, who secured victory in the governorship election held on September 21, 2024, as declared in his favour by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), called a single witness to support his position before the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal.

Initially, Okpebholo had indicated that he would present about six witnesses.

However, he closed his defence after his only witness, Mr. Usman Mark, was discharged.

In his testimony, Mark, identifying himself as a farmer and stating that he served as an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election, insisted that the APC had won the contest.

Under cross-examination, he admitted that the number of votes recorded at Ovia South West Local Government Area, a stronghold of incumbent Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, exceeded the number of those accredited to vote.

Shortly after Mark’s discharge from the witness box, Governor Okpebholo’s lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, informed the tribunal that no further witnesses would be called.

Consequently, the panel adjourned its proceedings until Wednesday to allow the APC to open its defence.

It will be recalled that INEC had, last Thursday, also closed its own defence of the gubernatorial poll without producing any witness to testify before the tribunal.

The Commission had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who received 247,655 votes.

Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.

In the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the petitioners contended that the governorship election was invalid due to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act and argued that Governor Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes cast.

Satisfied with evidence from 19 witnesses who testified and tendered several documents in support of their case, the petitioners closed their submission.

Earlier, INEC also presented a total of 153 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVA) machines used in the 133 polling units where the election results were disputed, along with a certified copy of the governorship election result.