The Labour Party has confirmed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as its National Chairman, making her the first woman to occupy such a position in the country.
Usman, who had been on acting capacity since 2024, was made a substantive Labour Party (LP) National Chairman at the party’s National Convention in Umuahia, Abia State, on Tuesday, April 28.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the convention, as did representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Apart from Senator Usman, other members of the new National Working Committee (NWC) include Mrs Nike Oriola, Deputy National Chairman; Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, National Secretary; Mrs Oluchi Oparah, National Organising Secretary; Hilda Dokubo, National Women Leader; Ken Eluma Asogwa, National Publicity Secretary, and Comrade Anslem Eragbe, National Financial Secretary, among others.
The new NWC members were elected through consensus.
Oparah, the new NOS, was National Treasurer in Julius Abure-led NWC, and blew the whistle on alleged mismanagement of funds by that executive, leading to her removal.
Dokubo, a Nollywood actress, was the Chairman of the Rivers State chapter.
It was gathered that Senator Darlington Nwokocha, who was the interim National Secretary, was dropped because he wants to return to the Senate.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, said Abia State governor Alex Otti, charged the newly elected NWC members to provide purposeful leadership and strengthen the party’s structures nationwide.
Usman in her acceptance speech, expressed gratitude to party members for the confidence reposed in her and pledged to reposition the party for greater success.
She commended Governor Otti for his exemplary leadership and assured members that she would not let the party down in her new capacity.
The former Minister of Finance also reaffirmed her commitment to fostering unity, peace, and reconciliation within the party ahead of the next general elections.
The newly elected NWC members were immediately sworn in.
