FROM “CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE” TO “MINERAL WEALTH”: THE IMPERIALIST AGENDA BEHIND US ENGAGEMENT WITH NIGERIA

 The article argues that Africa's historical experience with Western powers should make Africans cautious about accepting claims that foreign intervention is motivated solely by humanitarian, religious or security concerns. It draws a direct historical line from colonialism, when European powers invoked civilisation and Christianity while extracting African labour and resources, to contemporary forms of political and economic influence. The writer's central premise is that military, diplomatic and economic engagements with Africa should be examined within the wider context of geopolitical interests and resource competition.

The article then connects the United States' designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious-freedom issues and the December 2025 US airstrikes against ISIS linked targets in Sokoto with the subsequent September 2026 US-Nigeria mineral sector framework. The writer highlights Nigeria's estimated $700 billion mineral wealth and argues that the timing and combination of religious, military and economic engagement warrant closer scrutiny. 

A major argument concerns neocolonialism and the Tinubu administration. The writer interprets increased American engagement with Nigeria's mineral resources as potentially representing a strategic concession to US interests. He further raises the possibility that economic and diplomatic arrangements could create international tolerance for democratic or human-rights violations by the Nigerian government, particularly in the context of the 2027 elections. The article connects this concern to the government's handling of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, allegations of excessive force and the prosecution of protesters under serious charges.

The broader political argument is that economic sovereignty is inseparable from political sovereignty. According to the writer, genuine independence requires African countries to control how their natural resources are developed, how their economies are structured and whose interests influence national policy. He therefore rejects reliance on imperial powers for security, finance, technology, knowledge or resource development and argues that foreign investment should be interrogated rather than automatically equated with development.

Finally, the article is fundamentally a call for political education and historical consciousness. Its recurring message is that Africans must study slavery, colonialism, the Scramble for Africa, neocolonialism, resource exploitation and the interaction between religion and geopolitical power. The writer concludes that Africa's liberation cannot be outsourced and that a new generation must understand the structural relationships that sustain external dependence. The article therefore combines a historical critique of imperialism with a contemporary political argument about Nigeria's resources, sovereignty, democracy and foreign relations.

26TH SEPTEMBER 2026

FROM “CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE” TO MINERAL WEALTH: HOW TRUMP’S US IMPERIALISM TARGETED NIGERIA’S UNTAPPED RESOURCES THROUGH THE TINUBU NEO-COLONIAL REGIME

Generation after generation, Africans have failed to adequately study their own history, and consequently, generation after generation continues to become a victim of history.

THE PATTERN IS NOT NEW

The colonial masters came to Africa claiming to bring civilisation, Christianity and progress to our forefathers. Behind the language of civilisation was the violent reality of conquest, slavery, exploitation and the systematic extraction of Africa's human and natural resources. The consequences of that colonial relationship continue to shape our continent today, even as millions of Africans remain trapped in poverty and deprivation.

We must therefore be careful whenever powerful foreign governments present military intervention, religious protection or humanitarian concern as the principal motivation for their involvement in Africa.

In 2025, President Donald Trump placed Nigeria on the United States' list of Countries of Particular Concern over religious-freedom concerns and repeatedly spoke about the persecution of Christians. On December 25, 2025, the United States carried out airstrikes against ISIS-linked targets in Sokoto State, in coordination with the Nigerian government. The United States claimed that multiple ISIS militants were killed in the operation. However, rather than producing a significant improvement in the country's security situation, the security crisis has continued, with violence and insecurity remaining widespread and, in some areas, worsening.

My political interpretation is that Africans must not look at such developments in isolation. We must examine them against the broader history of imperialism, geopolitical interests and the competition for Africa's strategic resources.

And now, in September 2026, Nigeria and the United States have signed a framework aimed at attracting American investment into Nigeria's mineral sector, which the Nigerian government estimates at about $700 billion. The framework covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure and technical capacity.

For me, this raises a fundamental question: What lessons have we learnt from history?

History teaches us that foreign powers rarely engage with Africa without pursuing their own strategic and economic interests.

Unfortunately, many Africans, including religious extremists and sections of the political class, celebrated the rhetoric of foreign intervention without sufficiently interrogating the historical pattern of imperialism and resource extraction. This is why I believe we need less obsession with social-media noise and more serious political education.

AFRICANS MUST READ AFRICAN HISTORY

We must study colonialism. We must study slavery. We must study the scramble for Africa. We must study neocolonialism. We must study how Africa's natural resources have historically been exploited and we must understand how religion, military power, diplomacy and economic interests have sometimes interacted in the pursuit of geopolitical objectives.

History continues to repeat itself when societies refuse to learn from it, and too often, the victims remain the same.

My political interpretation of these neocolonial transactions is that they may represent a strategic concession by the Tinubu regime to US imperialism, potentially aimed at securing the silence or acquiescence of a global power ahead of the forthcoming election. It raises the concern that such an arrangement could be intended to create diplomatic cover for the regime should it attempt to manipulate the election or unleash brutal repression against citizens who may resist electoral malpractice or protest worsening economic hardship.

This concern cannot be divorced from the government's response to the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, when security forces were accused of using excessive and deadly force against protesters, while others who protested against hunger and economic hardship were arrested and prosecuted on serious charges, including treason. Critics have also argued that international powers largely failed to exert meaningful pressure on the Tinubu administration over these developments, at a time when the government was implementing far-reaching neoliberal economic policies.

From my perspective, this raises a broader question about the relationship between imperial interests and democratic accountability: when a government adopts policies that deepen economic dependence and open the country's resources and markets to powerful foreign interests, do those same foreign powers have an incentive to overlook violations of democratic and human rights when their strategic and economic interests are being protected?

This is precisely why Africans must interrogate neocolonial relationships beyond the language of investment, partnership and development. True sovereignty requires not merely political independence, but the economic freedom to determine how our resources are developed, how our economy is structured and whose interests ultimately determine the direction of our society.

That is why the struggle for democracy and sovereignty cannot depend on the goodwill of imperial powers. We must completely break from imperial dependency.

Africa needs a generation equipped with political education, not merely social-media opinions; a generation capable of understanding the relationship between power, economics, history, religion and imperialism.

We must raise young Africans who understand that the struggle for genuine sovereignty is not simply about changing political leaders. It is about transforming the structures that keep Africa dependent on external powers for security, technology, finance, knowledge and the development of its own natural resources.

Africa must also free itself from religious colonialism, the mindset that makes Africans believe that salvation, civilisation or protection must come from foreign powers. Our liberation cannot be outsourced.

Africa must study its history, understand its present and fight for control of its future. The continent must break free from imperialism, neocolonialism and every form of external dominance, political, economic, cultural and religious.

Francis Nwapa

Socialist Activist and Human Rights Advocate

Media Must Not Choose Nigeria’s Candidates for 2027 Elections — Mẹkunnu Kọya

LAGOS — The Convener of Mẹkunnu Kọya, Comrade Wale Balogun, has called on Nigerian media organisations to ensure equitable and inclusive coverage of all candidates contesting the 2027 presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Balogun, in a statement issued on Thursday, warned that disproportionate media attention to a small number of prominent political figures could restrict the democratic choices available to Nigerian voters.

He acknowledged the responsibility of the media to scrutinise established political figures, including their records, policies and controversies, but argued that media organisations should not, through selective coverage, determine which candidates Nigerians get to hear and consider.

According to him, all candidates should be given meaningful opportunities to present their programmes, explain their records and respond to questions on issues affecting the country.

He particularly criticised the practice of organising political debates and inviting only a limited number of candidates without sufficiently transparent and inclusive criteria.

“If the purpose of a debate is to help Nigerians make an informed decision, then the process should be genuinely inclusive,” Balogun said.

He argued that candidates with limited financial resources, political structures or name recognition should not automatically be excluded from national political discourse.

Balogun said the media's democratic responsibility should include exposing voters to political alternatives rather than concentrating attention on candidates who are already prominent within the political establishment.

He urged journalists and media organisations to subject candidates across the political spectrum to rigorous questioning on the economy, insecurity, corruption, unemployment, wages, education, healthcare, constitutional reform, federalism and public debt.

He also called for scrutiny of candidates' records, policy proposals, sources of campaign funding and their capacity to implement their promises.

“This is not a demand for favourable coverage of any candidate. It is a demand for fair and inclusive coverage,” he said.

Balogun maintained that Nigerians should be allowed to assess candidates on the basis of their records, programmes and responses to public scrutiny rather than having the media determine in advance who should be regarded as a serious contender.

He therefore called on media organisations to provide equitable opportunities for candidates to participate in interviews, debates, town-hall meetings and other election-related programmes, subject to reasonable and transparent editorial criteria.

“Let every candidate be heard. Let every record be examined. Let every programme be interrogated. Then let Nigerians decide,” he said.

Balogun said the media had a significant responsibility ahead of the 2027 elections to either expand public access to political choices or inadvertently narrow the democratic space through selective coverage.

He stressed that the choice of Nigeria's elected representatives ultimately belongs to the electorate and not to media organisations.

Comrade Wale Balogun
Convener, Mẹkunnu Kọya
September 24, 2026

Civil Society Coalition Demands Immediate Release of Detained Rights Activist Daniel Ezekiel

 

LAGOS, September 21, 2026 — A coalition of civil society organisations, human rights groups and community advocates has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Niger Delta rights activist Daniel Ezekiel, while calling for an independent investigation into serious allegations he reportedly made against powerful individuals and entities operating in the region.

The coalition, in a statement issued on Monday, said Ezekiel was allegedly taken from his residence in Life Camp, Abuja, on Friday, September 18, by men whose identities and authority he could not verify.

According to the coalition, Ezekiel was subsequently held at the Agwa Cement Police Station before being transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) in Abuja.

It said no charge had been publicly disclosed as of the date of the statement and called on the Nigeria Police Force to clarify the legal basis for the arrest.

The coalition linked the arrest to a petition dated September 3, 2026, reportedly submitted by lawyers representing businessman Chief Ekomieyefa Uduboh to the Inspector-General of Police and the National Cybercrime Centre.

The petition reportedly accused Ezekiel and another individual of publishing defamatory posts on Facebook in late August. The coalition stressed that the allegations contained in the petition remain untested and that Ezekiel is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

However, the groups said the arrest had raised broader concerns because Ezekiel had, for several months, publicly alleged that he witnessed unlawful detention, torture, forced labour and intimidation involving Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and individuals he alleged were linked to him and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

The coalition said Ezekiel had submitted petitions to security agencies, government institutions and national and international human rights organisations, alleging the existence of facilities in the Niger Delta where, according to his claims, torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and forced labour occurred.

It said Ezekiel had reportedly supported his allegations with photographs, audio and video recordings, as well as testimonies from alleged victims and their families.

The coalition stressed that the allegations had not been established by a competent investigative authority and therefore called for an impartial investigation rather than allowing the matter to remain unresolved.

“When a whistleblower is detained before the allegations he raised are examined, the public is left to ask whose interests the system is protecting,” said Juwon Sanwolu, Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement (TIB), speaking on behalf of the coalition.

Rights and Due Process Concerns

The coalition cited Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as legal protections against arbitrary detention.

It argued that the reported circumstances surrounding Ezekiel's arrest, including the alleged involvement of unidentified men and his subsequent transfers between police facilities, required clarification.

The groups also raised concerns about the use of cybercrime laws in cases involving allegations of defamation and criticism, arguing that such prosecutions could have implications for freedom of expression.

They cited Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 19 of the ICCPR, while referring to previous decisions of the ECOWAS Court of Justice concerning Nigeria's cyberstalking provisions.

The coalition said the police and other security agencies should not become instruments for resolving private disputes or intimidating human rights defenders.

Five Demands

The organisations demanded that the Nigeria Police Force immediately release Ezekiel and publicly disclose the legal basis for his arrest.

They also called on the Inspector-General of Police to identify the officers involved and disclose the police unit handling the petition against him.

In addition, the coalition demanded immediate access to lawyers and family members for Ezekiel, appropriate medical attention where necessary, and guarantees for his physical safety.

It further called on the Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission, to facilitate an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture, unlawful detention and forced labour reportedly raised by Ezekiel.

The coalition also urged all parties involved in the dispute to submit to lawful and transparent investigative processes.

It said it would continue to monitor the matter and could petition or activate relevant international mechanisms, including United Nations and African human rights institutions, if Ezekiel remained detained and the allegations were not investigated.

The statement was endorsed by 57 civil society, human rights, legal, development and community organisations, including Take It Back Movement, Sterling Law Centre, Lawyers Without Borders Nigeria, Amnesty International Nigeria, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), United Action for Democracy (UAD), Access to Justice, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Network on Police Reform in Nigeria and several other organisations.

The allegations against the individuals and organisations named by Ezekiel remain subject to investigation and due process.

GAFAMORG, NCAMKI Demand Full Probe into Deaths of 37 Suspected Miners in NSCDC Custody

 

LAGOS, September 19, 2026 

The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG) and the National Coalition Against Mass Killings, Extra-Judicial Killings, Mob Actions and Impunity (NCAMKI) have called for a comprehensive investigation into the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the two civil society organisations said the circumstances surrounding the deaths should be investigated beyond determining the immediate causes of death, urging authorities to examine whether failures in detention and custody safeguards contributed to the tragedy.

The organisations expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and called for the protection of surviving detainees, access to medical attention, information and justice for affected families.

According to GAFAMORG and NCAMKI, the investigation should cover the entire chain of events, including the legality and documentation of the arrests, identities and ages of detainees, detention capacity and possible overcrowding, ventilation, sanitation, food and water, medical care, exposure to hazardous substances or disease, custody registers, complaints, transfers and supervision.

They also called for scrutiny of compliance with applicable criminal justice and detention oversight laws, particularly the Niger State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2022.

The organisations said authorities should determine whether mandatory safeguards were followed and, where breaches occurred, whether there were appropriate consequences for deliberate or negligent non-compliance.

“A law that is not enforced is not an effective safeguard,” the organisations said, arguing that oversight mechanisms must be backed by meaningful accountability.

State Police Debate

GAFAMORG and NCAMKI also linked the incident to the wider debate over State Police, arguing that expanded policing powers must be accompanied by enforceable safeguards, independent oversight, transparent custody systems and remedies for violations.

They said no institution exercising arrest and detention powers should operate outside effective accountability mechanisms simply because it is not the Nigeria Police Force.

The organisations further maintained that any move towards State Police should be accompanied by publicly accessible laws, rules, safeguards, oversight mechanisms and remedies for abuse.

Civil Society Monitoring

The organisations said they would seek relevant official records concerning the arrests, detention conditions and deaths and monitor the investigations.

They also plan to examine compliance with the Niger State ACJL and applicable custody safeguards, engage relevant justice, police, NSCDC, National Human Rights Commission and other authorities, and advocate for proper forensic investigation and preservation of evidence.

They said they would also review the practical implementation of detention safeguards, including custody registers, inspection procedures, medical monitoring, reporting and consequences for non-compliance.

The organisations said lessons from the incident would be incorporated into GAFAMORG's 46 Safeguards for State Policing and Justice Delivery in Nigeria, while continuing their documentation of custody deaths, alleged extra-judicial killings, custodial abuse and impunity.

GAFAMORG and NCAMKI stressed that their intervention was not intended to replace any criminal investigation but to ensure that institutional responsibility and the safeguards designed to prevent avoidable deaths are also examined.

“No citizen becomes rightless because he or she has been arrested, and no institution should be beyond accountability under the law,” the organisations said, invoking the legacy of late human-rights lawyer and activist Gani Fawehinmi.

They concluded with a call for the police to establish the truth, forensic investigators to determine the facts, prosecutors to act where evidence warrants and the courts to deliver justice.

The organisations said the wider question Nigeria must answer is: “Where were the safeguards, and if they were ignored, who will be held accountable?”

Signed:
Comrade Babatunde Agunbiade, Chairman, Governing Council, GAFAMORG; and

Comrade Ade Adeoye Adewunmi and the Secretariat of NCAMKI.

ASCSN Disowns Shehu Mohammed, Apebo, Warns Public Against Their Directives

 

ASCSN Disowns Shehu Mohammed, Joshua Apebo Statement, Cites Court Judgment

LAGOS — The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has disowned a purported statement issued by Shehu Mohammed, declaring that Mohammed and Joshua Apebo no longer have the authority to speak or act on behalf of the union.

In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Comrade Gamaliel C. Acho, the ASCSN national leadership said the public should disregard any statement, directive or correspondence purportedly issued by Mohammed or Apebo in the name of the association.

The union said its position was based on a judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/169/2025, delivered on April 15, 2026, by Hon. Justice R. B. Haastrup.

According to the ASCSN leadership, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining Mohammed and Apebo from parading themselves as leaders of the union, convening meetings or interfering with the administration and assets of the association.

The union further stated that the judgment declared Mohammed and Apebo judgment debtors and ordered them to pay a total of ₦70 million in general, exemplary and aggravated damages over what the court allegedly described as acts of disdain, contempt and willful disobedience of judicial orders.

ASCSN: No subsisting stay of execution

The association also maintained that the judgment remains valid and enforceable, stating that an application for a stay of execution was struck out by the trial court on May 20, 2026.

It added that the appellants subsequently withdrew their application for a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal on September 3, 2026.

On that basis, the ASCSN leadership said there was no subsisting stay preventing enforcement of the April 15 judgment.

Union disputes authority of Mohammed and Apebo

The statement also challenged the status of both individuals within the union.

ASCSN described Shehu Mohammed as a suspended member who, according to the union, had been stripped of leadership functions and authority.

On Joshua Apebo, the association alleged that he was a former paid employee of its secretariat rather than a serving civil servant. It said Apebo had been summarily dismissed for alleged gross misconduct, insubordination and anti-union activities.

The union stated that the dismissal was upheld by its governing organs and recognized by the court.

ASCSN warns against acting on purported directives

The association described the continued use of its name, logo and purported authority by the two men as an attempt to circumvent judicial authority.

It cited Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution in asserting that authorities, institutions and persons are required to comply with decisions of the courts.

ASCSN consequently warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), organised labour, members of the public, media organisations and other stakeholders against acting on communications purportedly issued by Mohammed or Apebo on behalf of the association.

The union said its official communications are issued through its Open Information System (OIS) and signed by the National President, Comrade Innocent Bola-Audu, Ph.D., FCNA, FCTI, or the Secretary-General, Comrade Gamaliel C. Acho.

Legal action threatened

The ASCSN leadership disclosed that its legal team had been directed to document the latest publication allegedly issued by Mohammed and Apebo.

According to the statement, the material would be presented as further evidence of alleged willful disobedience to court orders, with the union indicating that it would pursue committal and other statutory enforcement measures.

The association reaffirmed that it remains committed to what it described as the rule of law, institutional integrity and the welfare of senior civil servants across Nigeria.

The statement was signed by Comrade Gamaliel C. Acho, Secretary-General, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).

Minimum Wage Debate: GAFAMORG Says Purchasing Power, Not Figures, Should Matter.

GAFAMORG Launches October 1 Wage Watch, Challenges FG to Show What New Wage Can Buy

LAGOS, September 17, 2026 

 The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG), through its Civil Justice Legacy Project, has launched the “October 1 Wage Watch 2026”, a public interest initiative focused on the purchasing power and living standards of Nigerian workers amid renewed discussions over the national minimum wage.

The organisation said the initiative would assess any future minimum wage announcement not merely by the nominal amount, but by what the wage can actually purchase in terms of food, transportation, housing, energy, healthcare and other essential needs.

GAFAMORG stressed that it was not claiming that the Federal Government would announce a new minimum wage on October 1, nor was it making any allegation about the government's intentions.

Rather, the organisation said Nigerians should begin examining the basis and adequacy of any proposed wage before an announcement is made. “The announcement must not become the argument,” GAFAMORG said.

The organisation recalled that the current ₦70,000 national minimum wage was established in 2024, while subsequent economic developments and concerns expressed by organised labour and other stakeholders have renewed debate over workers' purchasing power and the need for another wage review.

According to GAFAMORG, various figures have already featured in public discussions, but the central issue should remain the real value of whatever figure is eventually adopted  “A larger figure on a payslip does not automatically mean a living wage,” the organisation stated.

GAFAMORG Sets Out Living Wage Test

As part of its initiative, GAFAMORG said any proposed new minimum wage should be subjected to a transparent Living Wage Test.

Among the questions it wants addressed are how the proposed figure was calculated, the economic data and cost of living assumptions used, and what the wage would actually purchase after essential expenses such as food, transportation, housing and energy.

The organisation also wants Nigerians to examine what mechanism would protect workers against further increases in inflation and essential living costs, who participated in determining the wage and how transparent the negotiation process was.

It further called for clarity on when the next wage review would take place and whether there would be a credible mechanism for regular review or indexation against relevant cost of living indicators.

GAFAMORG urged the Federal Government to make the methodology and economic assumptions behind any proposed wage publicly available. “Show Nigerians the calculation. Do not merely announce the conclusion,” it said.

Labour Urged to Keep Workers at the Centre

The organisation also called on organised labour to ensure that Nigerian workers remain central participants in negotiations concerning wages and their economic welfare.

It argued that the wage debate should go beyond the question of what government can afford and examine what workers require to maintain a decent standard of living. “The central question should not be merely how much government can afford to give. It must also be what a Nigerian worker needs to live with dignity,” GAFAMORG said.

‘What Can It Buy?’

GAFAMORG also appealed to Nigerians to avoid turning the wage debate into a partisan political contest. It said that regardless of whether the eventual figure is ₦100,000, ₦150,000, ₦200,000, ₦300,000 or another amount, citizens should apply the same basic question: What can it buy?

The organisation said its October 1 Wage Watch 2026 would monitor developments, examine publicly available evidence and provide an independent assessment of any new minimum wage announcement using its proposed Living-Wage Test. “We are not against a wage increase. We are against the idea that the size of an announcement should end the national conversation,” it said.

GAFAMORG concluded that while government may determine and announce the wage, Nigerians should examine whether the resulting income meets the practical test of a living wage. “The government may announce the wage. Nigerians must examine whether it is a living wage.”

The organisation added: “A higher number is not automatically a higher standard of living.”

The statement was signed by Comrade Babatunde Agunbiade, Chairman, Governing Council, and Comrade Ade Adewunmi Adeoye, PRO, on behalf of the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG), Civil Justice Legacy Project.

 

Labour Party Disowns Arabambi Over Suit on Peter Obi’s Academic Records

Party says former members ceased to be members following suspension and expulsion, warns against unauthorised representation

The Labour Party has disowned Abayomi Arabambi over a lawsuit reportedly instituted against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), concerning the academic records of former presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

In a press release issued on Monday, September 14, 2026, the party said Arabambi was no longer a member and could not have instituted the legal action in its name or as its representative.

The party’s reaction followed media reports describing Arabambi as an LP chieftain, including publications by The Punch and Vanguard newspapers.

According to the party, its National Executive Council (NEC) suspended 25 members, including Arabambi, on March 18, 2026, over alleged infractions bordering on anti-party activities. The suspension was subsequently ratified by the party’s National Convention on April 28, 2026.

The Labour Party maintained that the affected individuals ceased to be members following the convention’s decision, adding that no party organ had since revisited or reversed the decision.

“The Labour Party wishes to inform the general public, and particularly the media, that Abayomi Arabambi is not a member of the Labour Party and could not have instituted any action in court as a member of the Party, having long severed ties with the Labour Party,” the statement said.

The party also warned that any representation by Arabambi as its chieftain or representative was unauthorised, adding that its lawyers were reviewing the matter to determine appropriate legal and other steps, including a possible petition to relevant law enforcement authorities.

“If Abayomi Arabambi has presented himself to the public as a chieftain or representative of the Labour Party, the general public is hereby notified that such representation is entirely unauthorised and, prima facie, amounts to impersonation,” the party stated.

The Labour Party, however, declined to comment on the substance of the lawsuit, stressing that the press release was intended solely to clarify Arabambi’s relationship with the party.

It also noted that Peter Obi was no longer a member of the Labour Party, distancing itself from the legal action and its claims concerning his academic records.

The party expressed hope that the clarification would put the matter in its proper perspective and prevent further misrepresentation of Arabambi’s status.