The Labour Party (LP) has sought to distance itself from recent remarks made by its ex-vice-presidential candidate, Senator Datti Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, labelling them as “undemocratic” and possibly inciting actions against Nigeria’s established authority.
The party also voiced its apprehensions regarding what it termed as direct threats from Abia State Governor Alex Otti, cautioning that its national leaders might be at risk.
In a statement released on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Arabambi Abayomi, the party expressed its “astonishment” at Senator Baba-Ahmed’s persistent characterisation of the Tinubu administration as “questionably constitutional,” especially during a gathering reportedly organised by Governor Otti and former presidential hopeful Peter Obi at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on April 9, 2025.
“For us in the Labour Party, this statement is clearly inciting and a call for mass action against a constituted authority,” Dr. Abayomi said.
“We think there should be a limit to whipping up public sentiments against a legitimate government.”
Citing Baba-Ahmed’s comments from a recent interview, he stated: “The appointments they are issuing are fraudulent, the appointments they are issuing are unlawful. The trappings of government, they are relishing, ruining our nation, squandering our resources, are merely temporary.”
The Labour Party, which participated in the 2023 presidential election and was defeated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressed that it acknowledged the Supreme Court’s ruling on the issue “not out of satisfaction but due to the conclusive nature of the court’s decision.”
“The party has since moved on,” the statement continued.
“We expect every well-meaning Nigerian to realise the fragility of the nation and put politics aside to help move the country forward.”
The party cautioned against statements that could incite unrest, drawing historical parallels to the Arab Spring.
“The Arab Spring that rattled the entire Middle East started when leaders ignored subtle but persistent mobilisation of the youth. We must avoid a similar path in Nigeria,” The Labour Party noted.
The party also criticised Governor Otti’s remarks at the same April 9 meeting, in which he allegedly said a “doomsday” awaited the Julius Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party and threatened to “fumigate” them out of office.
“As if the Labour Party is his personal company, Governor Otti boasted that Abure refused an offer of the Chairmanship of the Board of Trustees and that he was ready to fumigate Abure and his team out of office,” Abayomi said.
“We are warning that no harm should befall any of our leaders as a result of the imminent doom that the governor has threatened.”
The statement further linked recent threats by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to similar pressure from Governor Otti.
“This threat is coming a few days after Comrade Joe Ajaero threatened to mobilise armed men to flush our leadership out of office,” said Abayomi. “We believe these threats are not coincidental.
The Abia State Government is sponsoring the NLC’s rascality.”
The Labour Party called on National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of its national officers.
“We no longer feel safe. We have committed no offence except insisting on the rule of law and respect for party supremacy as recently affirmed by the Supreme Court,” the party said.
“We call on all security agencies, including the police and state security services, to beef up security around our leaders. The Abia State Governor should be held responsible if anything happens to any of our national officers.”