Politics
Labour Party Crisis Deepens as Nenadi Usman Takes Over National Secretariat, Abure Faction Cries Foul
The crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new turn following the forceful takeover of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by a caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman.
The takeover happened on Tuesday at the party’s headquarters in Utako, Abuja, weeks after a Federal High Court ruling in January 2026 recognised Nenadi Usman as chairman of a Labour Party caretaker committee. The court decision followed an earlier April 2025 Supreme Court directive ordering political parties to strictly adhere to their constitutions, especially where leadership tenures had expired.
Addressing supporters after gaining access to the secretariat, Senator Usman said the caretaker committee was acting within the law and promised sweeping reforms to reposition the party ahead of future elections. According to her, plans are already underway to introduce electronic membership registration and restructure the party following internal crises that have lingered since the 2023 general elections.
Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, who was present during the takeover, dismissed claims by rival factions that the action was illegal, insisting that the caretaker committee was simply enforcing a valid court judgment.
However, the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has strongly condemned the action, describing it as a “midnight invasion” carried out with the support of security agencies.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure faction alleged that hoodlums invaded the secretariat around 1am, pulled down official Labour Party billboards and replaced them with those bearing the name of Senator Nenadi Usman.
The statement further claimed that eight truckloads of police officers were deployed to the secretariat, preventing party staff and senior officials from accessing their offices, while only members loyal to the Nenadi Usman interim leadership were allowed entry.
“The Abure-led leadership is dumbfounded by the invasion of its secretariat by the Nenadi camp aided by the police in the early hours of Tuesday,” the statement read.
According to the faction, offices were forcefully opened and files and other party materials carted away. It added that party officials deliberately avoided confrontation to prevent violence and breakdown of law and order.
While acknowledging that a Federal High Court had recognised Senator Usman as interim chairman, the Abure faction stressed that it had since obtained a stay of execution and filed an appeal against the judgment. It described the takeover as an act of self-help and a violation of due process.
The faction called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant security agencies to urgently intervene, warning that failure to do so could threaten Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The development once again highlights the deep internal divisions within the Labour Party, as both factions continue to battle for legitimacy amid ongoing court cases and leadership disputes.
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