The Labour Party (LP), led by Julius Abure, has criticized Senator Nenadi Usman’s assertion that her committee prevented the party from being deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 17, in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh rejected Usman’s claims, calling them false and misleading.
Usman, who leads a committee appointed by a group of LP stakeholders, had claimed that a meeting on September 4, 2024, in Umuahia, Niger State, saved the party from deregistration. According to Ifoh, this statement is “ludicrous, unattainable, unsubstantiated, and a pack of lies.”
The Labour Party asserts that it is in good standing with the law and cannot be deregistered by INEC. “We wish to state emphatically that the Labour Party is in good shape at the moment, having fully abided by the laws of the land,” Ifoh said.
He also criticized Usman and her supporters for allegedly exploiting INEC’s confusion about the tenure of the party’s executives. “It is paradoxical that some of these leaders who were victims of INEC’s mismanagement of the 2023 general election are now quoting INEC to undermine the Labour Party’s leadership,” he added.
Ifoh pointed out that the September 4 meeting in Umuahia was unconstitutional. He argued that the stakeholder group that produced Usman as its leader has no legal basis and cannot be recognized by INEC or any legal authority. “The stakeholder group which produced Senator Usman as its leader has no foundation whatsoever, and its existence is delusional,” he said.
The Labour Party has already been affirmed by several courts, including the Appeal Courts in Edo State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which recognized Julius Abure as the rightful National Chairman. A Federal High Court in Abuja also upheld the validity of the party’s national convention held on March 26, 2024.
Ifoh further stated, “We are aware of all efforts by Senator Usman and her co-travellers to pressure INEC into fulfilling their demands. However, INEC is bound by the laws outlined in the Electoral Act and cannot act irrationally.”
He added that claims about the party failing to provide the required 21 days’ notice for the convention have been resolved, with Justice Omotosho confirming that the Labour Party met all legal requirements. Ifoh also criticized the attempts to find a favorable court in Abia State, suggesting that such efforts are misguided.
“Both INEC and the Labour Party have their headquarters in Abuja, so it is laughable that they are seeking a court in Aba for political patronage,” he said. He urged Senator Usman and her supporters to stop factionalizing the party and to focus on the upcoming 2027 elections.
