The Vanguard published a report on October 16, 2025, claiming that the Interim National Committee (INC) of the Labour Party (LP), led by Senators Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwochocha, is under threat of infiltration by “APC moles.” Vanguard News
The allegation comes from a leaked memorandum authored by Toni Akeni, the Interim National Publicity Secretary (iNPS) of LP. He indicates severe internal frustrations within the party. Vanguard News
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Key claims in the memo:
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An unnamed APC “mole” inside LP convinced the INC not to appropriate funds for the party’s publicity directorate. Vanguard News
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The party has failed to organize its internal ward, local government, state, zonal congresses, and a national convention — though it was originally mandated to complete these within 90 days. The delay has stretched into 445 days at time of writing. Vanguard News
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The iNPS says he’s been working without funding support, paying for media and public relations out of his pocket, and warns that the “fund-yourself party” policy undermines the LP’s visibility and cohesion. Vanguard News
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He frames the “mole” as a “proxy agent of external rival parties,” planted to sabotage LP’s internal structures and eventually defect after weakening the party. Vanguard News
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When reached for comment, Akeni neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the memo. Vanguard News
Inside sources, speaking anonymously, say that lack of funding has indeed been a problem for organizing party machinery, including media promotion and congress logistics. Vanguard News
Additionally, this isn’t the first time LP has voiced concerns about infiltration:
In an earlier article, LP leadership alleged that APC was making moves to hijack LP structures ahead of the 2027 elections. ThisDayLive
They claimed that APC moles would be placed across ward, local government, state, zonal, and national levels to disrupt the party’s operations. ThisDayLive
So this latest memo seems to be a more detailed and internal expression of those long-standing anxieties.
Interpretation & Implications
Internal Weaknesses Exposed
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Institutional inertia: The fact that LP hasn’t been able to hold its internal congresses/convention on schedule (despite the 90-day mandate) suggests serious organizational and logistical bottlenecks.
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Resource constraints: The claim that the party is not budgeting for publicity and leaving the iNPS to self-fund his office indicates a structural problem in funding and internal prioritization.
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Trust deficit: The use of memos, leaks, and anonymous sources signals that internal communication is strained, and that some factions may not trust the central leadership.
Incentive for Infiltration
Such structural weaknesses make LP vulnerable:
A rival party (especially the ruling APC) could take advantage of internal trust gaps to place sympathizers who could manipulate elections (intra-party) or cause splits.
If the “mole” is successful, the party’s ability to mobilize, present a coherent narrative, and contest elections effectively will be undermined.
Political Stakes & Timing
This is happening with the 2027 general elections approaching — the next few years are critical for opposition parties to build and solidify nationwide structures.
If LP’s internal crisis degenerates, defections may intensify. As of early October 2025, LP already lost a senator to APC, citing internal crisis and lack of direction. Businessday NG
The public concerned with opposition viability may lose confidence in LP if these allegations are not transparently addressed.
Questions to Watch & Possible Outcomes
Will LP’s NEC or Board of Trustees investigate this memo publicly and hold someone accountable (if the mole is real)?
Will the interim leadership be replaced or overhauled to restore confidence?
Could this lead to mass defections from LP toward APC, ADC, PDP, or other parties?
How will this affect LP’s ability to field credible candidates and run effective campaigns by 2027?
Could the story be a tactic itself — either by internal faction blowing up disagreements or by external actors to sow chaos?
