Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Interim National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), says the recent court decision that removed Julius Abure as national chairman has vindicated the party’s long-held position and restored confidence among Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Sunday, Nwokocha described the ruling as a moment of relief, insisting that “the truth has come to bear” after months of internal crisis.
“Seriously, I am happy because at the end of the day, the truth has come to bear. If you keep saying a particular thing, pointing in a particular direction, making it clear that this is the right way to go, and for whatever interest that position is not adopted, it makes you feel bad,” he said.
“But when at the end of the day it unravels and the fact comes to bear, you feel so happy.”
He said public reaction to the judgment showed that Nigerians had rejected earlier court outcomes that kept Abure in office.
“I am not the only person feeling this way. If you go out there and see the way Nigerians reacted after that judgment, how happy they were, you will understand that the previous decisions of the courts while Abure was pushing those cases were quite unpopular,” Nwokocha said.
“Now Nigerians are confident and happy that the truth has come to bear, and everybody is good for it.”
Nwokocha said the immediate priority of the interim leadership is formal recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), followed by rebuilding party structures nationwide.
“INEC has to recognise the leadership of Nenadi Usman. Presently, we have started a membership drive — registration of new members and old ones as well,” he said.
“We have also given out a timetable for congresses because ours is an interim National Working Committee. We want to midwife a process where substantive positions will be filled.”
He stressed that the party’s crisis stemmed from the refusal of the previous leadership to allow democratic processes.
“Before his tenure expired, what we asked for was simple: allow the democratic process to take its course,” Nwokocha said.
“You must start from ward congresses, local government congresses, state congresses, then zonal and national convention. That is the irreducible minimum in every political party.”
Nwokocha said Labour Party’s ideology makes it impossible to impose leadership without grassroots participation.
“Labour Party is a populist party — a party for the masses. You cannot do anything except carry the people along,” he said.
“There are principles that revolve around the Labour Party which no human being can act inconsistently with.”
Asked whether the party would seek reconciliation with former presidential candidate Peter Obi, Nwokocha said the LP respects Obi’s principles but is not banking on his return.
“We are not going to woo him back. He is a highly principled man. For him to have left the Labour Party, he considered so many things,” he said.
“I am not sure he will likely come back, and we respect him for that.”
He added that the party still has strong national figures.
“We have other very strong brands in the party. People like Dr Alex Otti have strong character and national posture. Our party is strong — very strong.”
Nwokocha ruled out any coalition, merger, or alliance ahead of the next general election.
“Labour Party is a full-fledged national party. Forget what the last leadership did trying to reduce it to a local party,” he said.
“When it comes to coalition, merger, or alliance, we are not interested. We will come out fully as Labour Party and face our music.”
He argued that the party already represents a coalition of organised labour and allied institutions.
“Within Labour Party, you already have coalitions — NLC, TUC, and other bodies that form the party. So we are very strong.”
Nwokocha confirmed that the party’s national convention will hold in March, after which the interim leadership will hand over to a substantive executive.
“The convention will be in March. The interim committee will then hand over to the substantive leadership of the party. Nothing is missing.”
On Abure’s appeal, Nwokocha expressed confidence that INEC will act based on the latest court order.
“INEC is the regulator, and it has formally written. Abure’s name was placed on the portal by court order, so we also needed a court order to remove him,” he said.
“The Supreme Court had already made it clear that his tenure had expired, but we needed an order to activate that decision — and that order has now come.”
He added:“A vacuum can never be allowed. I am sure INEC will do the right thing.”
Boluwatife Enome
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