Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo declared on Friday that he does not recognize the party under Julius Abure’s leadership.
He made this known during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, while affirming that he remains a member of the Labour Party.
“As it is now, I have already left if Abure is the Chairman,” he said.
In July 2024, the actor turned politician announced his departure from the LP.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign council, has also distanced himself from the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
However, during the program, Okonkwo clarified his stance on his resignation, emphasizing that he remains a member of the Labour Party.
He expressed strong opposition to the party’s leadership under Julius Abure.
“I am a member of the Labour Party, but not under Julius Abure. If Abure manages to wangle himself and becomes the National Chairman, it is automatic,” he stated.
The Labour Party remains embroiled in a leadership crisis, with both the party’s Caretaker Committee, led by Esther Nenadi Usman, and Julius Abure claiming the position of national chairman.
Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nullified Abure’s leadership, citing violations of the constitution and Electoral Act during the national convention.
This led to the appointment of Esther Usman, a former senator representing Kaduna South, as chair of a 29-member caretaker committee on September 4, 2024, following a stakeholders meeting convened by Abia State Governor Alex Otti in Umuahia.
The meeting was attended by notable party figures, including the 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
However, last month, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reaffirmed Abure as the Labour Party’s national chairman.
In a January 17 ruling by Justice Hamma Barka, the court upheld its November 2024 decision recognizing Abure’s leadership, stating that it remains valid and has not been overturned by any other court.
The judgement was in response to appeals filed by Nenadi Usman’s caretaker committee and INEC.