Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, has called on the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and other prominent members to return to the party following recent internal disputes.

In an interview on Saturday, Abure addressed the ongoing tensions within the party after some stakeholders opposed his re-election as national chairman.

Critics argued that the controversial Nnewi convention, which returned him to office, was not inclusive enough.

As a result, Obi, Otti, and other key party figures formed a 29-member caretaker committee in July, led by former Finance Minister Nnenadi Usman.

The committee was tasked with organizing a broader election to elect new leaders at various levels within the party.

However, Abure’s position as chairman was reaffirmed after a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which validated his election.

Since then, Abure has been working to regain the trust of party members who had opposed his leadership.

Addressing the situation, Abure dismissed claims of a crisis within the party, stating, “There is no longer a crisis in the party. The court has ruled that I am the legitimate leader of the Labour Party. If there’s a dispute, the proper course of action is to go to court, and the court has upheld our national convention.”

He also responded to accusations that the convention had not followed proper procedures, explaining, “INEC had initially pointed out that we didn’t follow due process, but the court ruled that the convention was in compliance with the party’s constitution, the electoral act, and the constitution of Nigeria.”

Abure extended an olive branch to those who felt wronged, saying, “We have forgiven everyone who might have felt offended. I hold no grudges, and we are moving forward as one big family in the Labour Party.”

The chairman also reflected on the nation’s current hardships, acknowledging that while leadership plays a role, the issues go beyond just governance.

“Our country is at a crossroads. It’s a time for reflection. The problems we face are not solely because of leadership but also because of the mindset and actions of the people,” he said.

Abure emphasized the need for electoral reform to address persistent issues in electing capable leaders.

“We need to reform the electoral system to ensure that we elect leaders with integrity who can drive the country’s development,” he concluded.

Local government chairmen in Nigeria have expressed concern over the continued delay in the direct allocation of federal funds to local government councils, despite a Supreme Court ruling issued four months ago.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Government should begin paying monthly allocations directly into the accounts of the 774 local government councils across the country.

However, four months later, the allocations are still being channeled through joint state-local government accounts managed by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.

Following the ruling, the Federal Government acknowledged the need to address operational issues before implementing the decision and set a three-month deadline to resolve these concerns.

That period ended in October, but the necessary changes have yet to be made.

Obiora Orji, spokesman for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), confirmed that direct payments to local governments have not yet started.

“Everyone is waiting for it. It cannot be hidden; once the payments begin, it will be obvious,” Orji stated.

Akeem Ambali, National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), explained that the delay was due to the lack of approval from President Bola Tinubu for full implementation of local government financial autonomy.

He mentioned that NULGE had submitted its position paper to the inter-ministerial committee set up by the Federal Government to facilitate the Supreme Court’s ruling.

This committee, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has concluded its meetings and submitted a technical report to President Tinubu for approval.

“The committee’s recommendations have been submitted to the President, and we are eagerly awaiting the start of implementation,” Ambali said.

In response, Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation said the process for direct disbursement to local governments was still ongoing.

He confirmed that state governments continued to receive allocations on behalf of local governments until the transition to direct payments is finalized.

Mokwa, however, could not provide a specific timeline for when direct payments to local councils would begin.

The camps of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, have both dismissed rumors that the two are considering a joint ticket for the 2027 presidential election.

The speculation was fueled after photos of Atiku hosting Obi for a breakfast at his residence in Adamawa State went viral on social media.

Atiku shared a video of the meeting on his official X account, captioned, “It is breakfast time with my friend, #PeterObi, in the ‘land of beauty.’”

In the video, Atiku and Obi were seen sitting together at a dining table with others, preparing for their meal.

The meeting sparked renewed interest after Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Spokesman of the PDP, had earlier mentioned in a live television interview that the country’s major opposition figures, including Atiku, Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), were considering a merger ahead of the 2027 elections.

Abdullahi had expressed that they were working on a united front to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, both Atiku’s and Obi’s representatives have dismissed the idea of political negotiations surrounding the meeting.

Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, clarified that the breakfast was simply a reunion between two longtime friends.

Ibe emphasized that Obi’s attendance was part of his role as a keynote speaker at the 20th anniversary and 16th Founder’s Day celebration at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), which was founded by Atiku.

He explained that the event had no political intentions, as their friendship had always transcended politics.

Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, echoed this sentiment, describing the speculation as unfounded.

He stated that the meeting had no political agenda, asserting that Obi was invited solely to deliver a speech at the university’s celebration and that any assumptions of a political alliance were baseless.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State on Saturday elected Chief Tony Okocha as its new chairman, marking a significant moment for the party as it prepares for future electoral success.

Chief Okocha was elected alongside other key party officials during the state delegate congress, which was conducted via voice vote. The congress was overseen by Dr. Adoye Omale, a representative from the APC national secretariat.

In his remarks, Chief Victor Giadom, the APC National Vice Chairman for the South-South, praised the peaceful conduct of the congress and emphasized that the unity of the party in Rivers State was evident.

He urged all members to support the newly elected executive to propel the party forward.

Upon accepting his new role, Okocha expressed gratitude and reassured party members that the election process proved critics wrong about APC’s unity and ability to organize peaceful elections.

He declared that the party’s focus would now be on securing victory in the 2027 governorship elections in Rivers State.

Okocha highlighted the accomplishments of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the recent resumption of production at the Port Harcourt refinery, as evidence that the party’s leadership could deliver significant results.

He expressed confidence that APC would continue to build on these successes to secure a win in the upcoming elections.

“I am deeply moved by the support our members have shown today. They came out of their own free will to demonstrate their love for the APC. With your support, we will work to ensure that APC takes control of Rivers State in 2027,” Okocha stated.

In addition to Okocha, other key positions were filled during the congress, including the Deputy Chairman, State Secretary, Publicity Secretary, State Auditor, Women Leader, Youth Leader, Legal Advisor, and zonal leaders representing the state’s four senatorial districts.

The congress was supervised by Dr. Joseph Alalibo, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner.