…Accuses ex-chairman of misinterpretation of S’Court’s judgement
The interim National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, has advised the former National Chairman of the party, Mr Julius Abure, to seek legitimate means of livelihood rather than attempting to commercialise the Labour Party’s political structures.
Senator Usman, in a statement issued by the National Secretary, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, on Monday, told Abure that the Labour Party is not for sale.
She accused Abure, who was sacked by the Supreme Court on April 4, 2025, of misleading the public and attempting to deliberately pervert the well-intentioned press statement issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, regarding his status in the Labour Party.
The interim National Chairman stated that the INEC statement was unequivocal, that the Supreme Court judgement of April 4, 2025, sacked Abure and affirmed Senator Usman and Senator Nwokocha as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Labour Party, respectively.
“For the benefit of well-meaning Nigerians and all lovers of our hard-won democracy, INEC, Nigeria’s critical democratic institution and the sole constitutional regulator of political parties, categorically cautioned Mr Abure and his co-travellers to desist from parading themselves as representatives of the Labour Party.
“INEC further condemned their persistent attempts to destabilise democratic governance, disrupt political party administration, and abuse court processes, noting that Mr Abure’s actions have enmeshed the Labour Party in a needless leadership crisis since 2024,” the statement added.
It noted that the electoral umpire described Abure as “vexatious and abusive litigants,” having instituted over 20 court cases against INEC and the Labour Party leadership, across various courts in the country and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“This conduct represents a blatant abuse of court processes and a desperate attempt to plunge the Labour Party into deeper crisis and roll back democratic gains,” Senator Usman said.
She accused Abure of impersonating the office of Labour Party National Chairman, stating that it complied with the subsisting Supreme Court and Federal High Court judgements that INEC refused to issue him access codes to upload the names of individuals “he had allegedly defrauded by illegally collecting monies from them under the false promise of making them candidates in the FCT elections.”
According to the statement, it was disingenuous for Abure to claim that Prof. Joash Amupitan, the new INEC Chairman, invited him to a quarterly consultative meeting with political party leaders.
Senator Usman explained that the only occasion Abure appeared in INEC premises was “when unscrupulous individuals illegally smuggled him in to take photographs during a meeting held by the acting INEC Chairman during the commission’s transition period, days before Prof. Joash Amupitan was sworn into office by Mr President.”
Labour Party, therefore, called on the Prosecutor‑General of the Federation to expedite action on recommendations for Abure’s prosecution for his alleged offences.
Usman said the Labour Party is united, indivisible, and committed to building a Nigeria founded on justice, equity, and good governance, under the leadership of Dr Alex Otti as National Leader, Senator Usman as National Chairman, and Senator Nwokocha as National Secretary.
“We urge our members, especially our youths and women participating in the ongoing registration and congresses, as well as aspirants preparing for the 2027 elections, to remain steadfast.
“The future of a new Nigeria lies firmly in our collective resolve,” the party asserted.
