The internal conflict within the Labour Party (LP) escalated on Monday as the faction led by National Chairman Julius Abure strongly rejected the “purported” ratification of Senators Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwochocha as interim leaders of a rival National Committee.
Meeting at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, the Abure-led National Executive Committee (NEC) denounced the rival group’s actions as unconstitutional and unlawful.
Abure, speaking after the NEC meeting, called on the public to disregard the resolutions of the opposing faction, which convened on Friday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. That gathering, attended by statutory NEC members including Abia State Governor Alex Otti and his deputy, had ratified the interim committee.
The Abure-led NEC insisted that the rival meeting breached Article 14 (4) (B) of the party’s constitution, which assigns the authority to convene meetings exclusively to the National Secretary with the National Chairman’s consent.
Additionally, the committee maintained that the meeting violated Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires a 21-day notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued jointly by the National Chairman and Secretary.
“No matter how illegality is decorated, it cannot be legal. Renaming the Caretaker Committee as Interim NWC does not change its illegality,” Abure declared in a communiqué.
He affirmed that there is “no vacuum in the leadership” of the party, citing the legitimacy of the National Convention held on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra State, upheld by the Supreme Court on 4 April 2025. The NEC urged INEC Chairman Prof Mahmoud Yakubu to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling and relevant legal opinions.
The meeting was attended by prominent party figures, including members of the National Working Committee, state chairmen, stakeholders, and the LP’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed.
The NEC passed a vote of confidence in Abure’s leadership, calling on all party members to respect his directives.
Looking forward, the committee approved the conduct of state, local government and ward congresses. Importantly, the party reaffirmed that it will not join any coalition for the 2027 general elections.
“Labour Party is distinct in its ideology, programmes, philosophy and manifesto, which hold solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges. We cannot be swayed by alliances with politically spent forces that have previously mismanaged the nation’s resources and opportunities,” the communiqué, signed by Abure and National Secretary Farouk Ibrahim, stated.
In his remarks, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed praised the party’s leadership and signalled his interest in the 2027 polls, stressing the LP’s resilience despite internal challenges.
“Labour Party is not a party to walk away from. The successes of this party cannot be ignored,” he said, reiterating his commitment to serving as a “peacemaker” within the party.
