LP crisis: Governor Otti’s faction blasts INEC over Abure acceptance
The faction loyal to Abia State Governor Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, strongly opposed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s(INEC) recognition of George Moghalu as the party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming Anambra State election on November 8, 2025, giving the ongoing leadership battle within the Labour Party a new dimension.
However, Lamidi Apapa, the factorional head of the Labour Party, urged Obi to support Moghalu, cautioning that if the party goes into the election split, it could lose at the polls.
Apapa emphasised the importance of unity over individual or faction-based goals and regarded the lack of unity within LP as a worrisome development.
“Heading into such a crucial election without a united front will spell doom for the party in Anambra,” Apapa stated.
His request follows INEC’s announcement of Moghalu as the LP’s official candidate for governor, which many interpreted as a confirmation of Julius Abure’s party leadership.
At the party’s primary, which was conducted on April 5 at the Finotel Hotel in Awka, Moghalu, a former managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, defeated his only rival, John Nwosu, with 573 votes.
Out of 649 delegates, 601 were accredited, 592 votes were deemed genuine, and five were deemed invalid, according to official numbers from that exercise. Election observers and INEC representatives attended the procedure.
However, in a parallel primary, Jude Umenajiego, a current member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Onitsha South Two, emerged as the own candidate of a rival Labour Party group supported by Obi and Governor Otti and overseen by the National Caretaker Committee, which is led by Nenadi Usman. John Nwosu received 69 votes, but Umenajiego received 180, winning that primary.
Read Also: ‘There were rumours animals were buried inside Abia Govt House’ – Governor Otti’s aide, Ukoha.
Apapa added that in order to mount a serious challenge against the incumbent, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Obi should set aside his factional disagreements and back George Moghalu, a fellow Anambra native.
In his words, “Obi should be able to mediate and work together with Moghalu if INEC recognises him. The two of them belong to LP and should not be seen fighting against each other. My point is this: Peter Obi and Moghalu are both from Anambra. Why not call the two parties and resolve the issue?
“The election is very close. If we are truly out to serve the people, this is not the time to debate or run to court. Don’t forget we have other party candidates, including the incumbent Governor Soludo, to contend with. If you have a divided house before the poll, how do you hope to defeat those with a united front?”
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
[…] Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it is prepared to use artificial intelligence (AI) to its advantage in the […]