- Julius Abure, Labour Party Chairman, accuses Senator Nenadi Usman of still being a PDP member, raising concerns over party leadership legitimacy
- Abure’s camp dismisses Usman’s claims about deregistration risks as unsubstantiated, asserting the Labour Party is compliant with legal requirements
Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has accused Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, recently appointed as chair of the party’s caretaker committee, of still being a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Obiora Ifoh, the LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Abure’s camp expressed concern over Usman’s claim that party leaders’ intervention at a September 4 meeting prevented the Labour Party from being deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ifoh dismissed Usman’s statement as “ludicrous” and “unsubstantiated,” asserting that the Labour Party is in good standing and fully compliant with legal requirements, thus not at risk of deregistration by INEC.
He accused certain party leaders of exploiting INEC’s erroneous view that the current party executives’ tenure had expired. According to Ifoh, these leaders used this incorrect stance to undermine the LP’s leadership.
Ifoh also criticized the recent Umuahia meeting, labelling it unconstitutional and illegal, as the party’s constitution does not recognize stakeholder meetings as valid party organs. “The group that elected Senator Nenadi Usman has no legitimate foundation and cannot be recognized by INEC or any law,” he added.
Furthermore, Ifoh pointed out that two courts have already confirmed Abure as the legitimate national chairman, including a Federal High Court in Abuja led by Justice J.K. Omotosho, which validated the LP’s March 26, 2024 national convention.
Senator Nenadi Usman has not responded to the allegations made by the party’s Abure-led faction yet.
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