The acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, on Tuesday took control of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja amid a heavy security presence, effectively displacing the Julius Abure-led faction, 9News Nigeria reports.
Security operatives, including armed police officers, were deployed within and around the Labour Party headquarters in Utako, Abuja, as the new leadership moved in. Access to the premises was tightly controlled, with party members, supporters and journalists subjected to rigorous security checks and identification before entry.
Senator Usman confirmed the development through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, saying the action followed a valid court judgment and was carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). According to her, the police were formally invited to provide security cover for the peaceful takeover of the secretariat.
Within the premises, all banners and billboards bearing the images of Julius Abure and his executive were removed and replaced with those of Senator Usman, signalling a clear change in leadership. Party sources disclosed that the interim leadership had also instructed members to begin arrangements to assume control of Labour Party state secretariats nationwide.
Speaking on the possibility of resistance from the Abure faction, Usman dismissed the idea, insisting there was no legal basis for confrontation. She maintained that Abure had already vacated the office following the court ruling and that the recognition of the caretaker committee had now been clearly established.
She said the presence of the police itself showed that the leadership tussle had entered a new phase, adding that previous requests for security cover were often ignored before the court judgment and INEC’s recognition of the caretaker committee.
Shortly after her comments, the interim leadership circulated a media invitation calling on journalists to witness the formal takeover of the national secretariat and the presentation of a progress report on membership revalidation and registration at the party headquarters.
However, the Abure-led faction reacted swiftly, with its factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, expressing surprise at the police action. He claimed the faction had already filed an appeal against the court judgment and alleged that the police cited a court order as justification for sealing the secretariat. He said the group would soon make its official position known.
The takeover follows a Federal High Court judgment delivered last month, which ruled that Julius Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had expired. The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the caretaker committee headed by Senator Usman pending the conduct of a national convention.
The ruling came after months of internal crises, legal battles and competing leadership claims within the party, which worsened after the 2023 general elections. While the faction backed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti welcomed the judgment and called for unity, Abure rejected it and vowed to pursue an appeal, cautioning INEC against recognising the caretaker committee.
Despite the objections, INEC proceeded to recognise Usman as the acting National Chairman in compliance with the court order. Two weeks ago, Abure’s name was removed from INEC’s official website and replaced with that of Senator Usman.
Other officials currently listed by INEC include Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary, Hamisu Santuraki as National Treasurer, Aisha Madije as National Financial Secretary, and Eric Ifere as National Legal Adviser, further consolidating the authority of the interim leadership.
9News Nigeria
