If I Open My Mouth Some Labour Party Members Will Be Like Smelly And Rotten Eggs That Nobody Will Ever Buy – Abure

Julius Abure, the factional national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has openly dared Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti to identify party officials who allegedly received funds during the 2023 general election.

Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, on Monday, Abure alleged that certain elected LP officials are scheming to remove the national leadership, despite the dedication shown by the party’s executives.

The gathering was organized by Joshua Chinedu Obika, the House of Representatives member for the AMAC/Bwari federal constituency of Abuja. Abure voiced his irritation over what he called efforts by some party members to tarnish the leadership’s reputation, asserting that the national executive declined substantial financial inducements offered for political favors.

“We rejected billions of naira. We rejected offers because of their positions. Today, they are in the forefront of those who want to throw us out of office,” Abure declared.

“I want to challenge all of them. I was watching television and I saw some of them talking about corruption. Today, I want to challenge all of them, from Peter Obi downward, that contested the election. Let any of them come out and tell the world what they personally gave to me or to the party.

“It is not to go and hide and be saying there is corruption in the party. Who and who are those that brought the money? Who did they give it to? Where did they send it to? I challenge them today that any of them that has evidence, even if they don’t have evidence, let them be bold and come out and say when and how they gave the money and if they can’t do that, let them forever hold their peace.”

Abure revealed he had stayed silent earlier to foster reconciliation but cautioned that he is ready to disclose damaging information if pushed further.

“I’m going to call a world press conference and publicly challenge them. As a leader, we have been quiet to say probably they are making mistakes, one day, probably they will come back.

“When people were talking about agents, and money for agents, I kept quiet, I didn’t say anything because I believe that the bad, the good and the ugly are for me. And therefore, I should not throw away the bad child or the ugly child.

“When I saw that some people were going beyond their boundaries, I came out and released a periphery of what played out. And I am sure that by now, that house is no longer together as it is.

“I am waiting for them — from top to bottom — to make any other move and I will open my mouth. And when I open my mouth, wherever they go to, they will be like smelly eggs, rotten eggs that nobody will ever buy.”

The Labour Party has been engulfed in a prolonged leadership dispute, with Abure’s faction clashing against a caretaker committee headed by Nenadi Usman, backed by prominent figures like Obi, Otti, and Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Federal Capital Territory.

In April, the Supreme Court determined that the Court of Appeal lacked authority to affirm Abure as chairman, a ruling that has fueled conflicting interpretations among rival factions. On May 7, Abure’s group suspended Otti and Kingibe for alleged anti-party conduct. In retaliation, the caretaker committee suspended Abure and formed a panel, led by Kingibe, to probe him over claims of corruption and misappropriation of party funds.

Otti has further urged Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to detain Abure for alleged impersonation.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli