Labour Party Crisis Deepens as Abure, Usman Factions Clash Over Leadership Legitimacy

The internal crisis within the Labour Party has intensified as the Julius Abure-led leadership dismissed the Senator Nenadi Usman-led interim National Executive Committee, branding them “impostors.” This has triggered a fresh round of verbal exchanges between Abure’s faction and the camp loyal to Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former presidential candidate Peter Obi.

Reacting to reports of a new interim leadership, Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, declared that the Usman-led group was “nonexistent and illegal,” stressing that they were neither recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor listed in the party’s register.

“These individuals are impostors, not known to the Labour Party. The party’s constitution has no provision for any ‘interim’ structure,” Ifoh said. “They simply created positions for themselves. Both Nenadi and the Akeni you mentioned are not registered members of our party — INEC records can confirm this.”

He accused sections of the media of giving undue publicity to “impostors,” adding that the Abure-led leadership remained focused on the party’s forthcoming congresses ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We have moved on as a party. Our focus is on the ward, local government, and state congresses, which will culminate in the 2026 primaries. These distractions don’t bother us because the law clearly defines who leads the Labour Party,” Ifoh stated.

However, the spokesman for the rival faction, Prince Tony Akeni, rejected Ifoh’s claims, describing them as false and misleading. He insisted that the Usman-led National Executive Council was the legitimate leadership, citing the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, as proof.

“I read with sympathy Obiora Ifoh’s misguided remarks on a private memo addressed to the Senator Nenadi Usman-led NEC and Board of Trustees, which unfortunately leaked to the media,” Akeni said.

He asserted that both the courts and the Nigeria Labour Congress had affirmed the legitimacy of the Usman-led faction. “All courts, from the lowest to the Supreme Court, verified Senator Nenadi Usman’s Labour Party membership. Every case she filed against the Abure faction was decided in her favour,” Akeni maintained.

Responding to reports suggesting Nenadi Usman had defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the party’s Kaduna State chapter denied the claim. In a statement signed by its chairman, Elder Patrick D. Ambut, the ADC clarified that Usman’s appointment within the party’s coalition framework did not amount to a defection.

“For clarity, the ADC’s leadership structure remains intact. Senator Usman’s appointment as Chairman of the coalition in Kaduna aligns with her Labour Party’s role within the broader alliance to rescue Nigerians from the hardship caused by the APC government,” the statement read.

As accusations and counterclaims persist, the Labour Party’s internal divisions appear to be widening, raising doubts about its unity and preparedness for the 2027 elections.