The internal crisis within the Labour Party, LP, took a new turn as Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, backed the election of former finance minister, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, as the new caretaker chairperson of the party.
Usman, who will head a 29-member national caretaker committee, was chosen during a meeting at the Abia Government House in Umuahia on Wednesday, convened by Governor Otti. The gathering was attended by key party figures, including Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
Mr. Daniel Gambo, a member of the national transition committee set up by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, confirmed the development to reporters. He noted that Usman’s committee was tasked with overseeing state congresses and preparing for an inclusive national convention.
However, the move has been fiercely opposed by the party’s embattled national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, who denounced Usman’s appointment as illegal and unconstitutional. Abure emphasized that he remains the legitimate chairman, claiming there has been no official communication from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, challenging his leadership.
A statement from the party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, labeled the Abia meeting as faulty and mischievous, further stating that Nenadi Usman is not even a registered member of the Labour Party.
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This leadership struggle threatens to deepen the divide within the party, as the battle for control intensifies ahead of upcoming internal elections.
In March 2024, Julius Abure secured a second term as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, following a unanimous endorsement by delegates at the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State. The announcement was made by the Chairman of the National Convention, Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu, who also serves as the Deputy Governor of Abia State.
Abure’s re-election was confirmed despite the friction with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress headed by Joe Ajaero, who had previously called for Abure’s resignation. The NLC had demanded that a caretaker committee be established to organize a legitimate and inclusive national convention, citing concerns over the party’s internal management.
Earlier this year, on March 20, workers gathered outside the LP office in protest after being denied entry, accusing Abure of financial misconduct and calling for his removal. The picketing, however, was criticized by both sides of the LP’s internal leadership, even as they continued to disagree over the direction and control of the party.
In response to the NLC’s demands, the LP maintained that the party’s leadership was not subject to the congress’s authority, fueling further discord between the two groups.
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