• Says its Unlawful
By Abiola Olawale
The ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) escalated further as the faction led by Julius Abure has declared thatv the recent appointment of Senator Nenadi Usman as interim national chairman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as interim national secretary, are illegal and unconstitutional.
The Abure-led National Executive Committee (NEC) also dismissed the National Executive Committee meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, which ushered in Usman’s leadership, as lacking in legitimacy and amounts to a violation of the party’s constitution.
Recall that the Labour Party has been embroiled in a power struggle since the 2023 general elections, with rival factions vying for control.
On July 18, 2025, a faction aligned with Abia State Governor Alex Otti and supported by former presidential candidate Peter Obi convened a NEC meeting in Umuahia, where Usman and Nwokocha were appointed to lead an interim National Working Committee (NWC). This move aimed to reorganize the party ahead of a national convention.
However, the Abure-led faction, claiming legitimacy, swiftly rejected the appointments, intensifying the internal rift.
Abure announced this after an NEC meeting held at the party’s National headquarters, Abuja, on Monday.
While reading the communique of the meeting, Abure said: “The NEC Meeting was attended by members of the National Working Committee, National officers of the party, Sen. Datti Baba-Ahmed, Vice Presidential candidate of the 2023 General Election, State Chairmen, and Stakeholders of the party and other co-opted members of the National Executive Council as provided by Article 13 (A) of the Party Constitution.
“At the end of the meeting, the following resolutions were approved and adopted;
The NEC in session after reviewing the purported NEC meeting held in Transcorp on Friday, the 18th of July 2025, condemned the conveners of the meetings and thereafter dissociated itself from the outcome of the so-called NEC meeting where they renamed their illegal Caretaker Committee set up in Umuahia last year as Interim National Working Committee.
“NEC notes that no matter how illegality is decorated, it can not be legal. Renaming the Caretaker Committee, Interim NWC does not remove its illegality.
“This sitting contravenes the Party’s Constitution. Article 14 (4) (B) gives powers to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.
“The meeting also contravenes the provisions of Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides as follows:
82 (1) Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference, or meeting convened for ‘’merger’’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies, or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act. Such notice must be given by the National Chairman and Secretary of the Party.
“The Commission may, with or without prior notice to the political party attend and observe any convention, congress, conference, or meeting which is convened by a political party for (a) electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies
“NEC in session, consequently disassociating itself from the meeting and its outcomes.”
