The Labour Party (LP) has publicly disowned recent statements made by its former vice-presidential candidate, Senator Datti Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, describing them as undemocratic and potentially provocative against Nigeria’s established leadership.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Arabambi Abayomi, the LP also raised concerns over alleged threats from Abia State Governor Alex Otti, warning that the safety of its national leaders may now be at risk.
The controversy stems from an event held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on April 9, 2025, reportedly organized by Governor Otti and former presidential candidate Peter Obi. During the event, Senator Baba-Ahmed described the Bola Tinubu-led administration as “questionably constitutional,” a remark the LP said was troubling.
“For us in the Labour Party, such a statement is inciting and can be interpreted as a call for public uprising against a legitimate government,” Abayomi stated.
He added that although the party contested the 2023 presidential election, it has since accepted the Supreme Court’s final ruling—even if not with satisfaction—and moved on from the outcome.
“We believe Nigerians must look beyond politics now and work together to build a stable nation,” the party’s spokesperson said.
Abayomi also condemned Baba-Ahmed’s recent interview comments in which he described government appointments as fraudulent and the government itself as wasteful and temporary. The LP warned that such rhetoric could ignite national unrest and compared the tone of the remarks to early signs of the Arab Spring that once swept the Middle East.
Furthermore, the party criticized Governor Otti’s comments during the same April 9 event, where he reportedly threatened to “fumigate” Julius Abure and the current LP leadership out of office. According to the statement, Governor Otti also claimed that Abure rejected an offer to become Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
“It is unacceptable for anyone to treat the Labour Party as their personal business,” said Abayomi.
He also claimed that recent threats made by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero—who allegedly vowed to mobilize armed supporters against the party leadership—were influenced by the Abia governor.
“These threats are not random. They are linked. We believe the Abia State Government is backing this show of force from the NLC,” Abayomi alleged.
The LP has now called on National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and other security agencies to ensure the protection of its national officials.
“We have done nothing wrong aside from defending the rule of law and party supremacy, which the Supreme Court itself affirmed. We are no longer safe, and we urge security forces to act swiftly,” the statement concluded.
