Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, made a surprise appearance on Monday at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting convened by the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), pledging to act as a bridge for peace and reconciliation within the divided party.
The NEC meeting, held in Abuja, comes amid ongoing internal wrangling that has split the LP into two opposing camps—one led by National Chairman Julius Abure and the other by former senator Nenadi Usman. Notably, most elected party officials, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti and 2023 presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi, have aligned with the Usman-led bloc.
Speaking at the session, Baba-Ahmed said he attended the meeting as a “peacemaker” and expressed commitment to fostering unity.
“I am here as a peacemaker and I am also here to reconcile divergent opinions,” he told party leaders.
Baba-Ahmed also addressed his recent participation in meetings exploring the formation of an opposition coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), clarifying that his involvement did not signal a departure from the LP.
“I am very proud to say that I did attend meetings of certain attempts of a coalition in Nigeria. Morally speaking, if your neighbourhood invites you to discuss security, you must attend,” he said.
“However, if you attend and they discuss other matters outside that, you are at liberty to restore yourself to your former position. I have attended and I have listened to the coalition attempts. Yes, I still remain in the Labour Party.”
His remarks were met with applause from members of the Abure-led faction, who lauded his presence as a step toward healing party divisions.
The NEC subsequently passed a resolution commending Baba-Ahmed for his statesmanship and reaffirmed its commitment to rebuilding the party through dialogue and inclusivity.
The Labour Party has yet to announce any formal reconciliation process, but Baba-Ahmed’s intervention is being seen by observers as a potentially significant development in the drive to unify the warring factions ahead of future elections.
