‘Labour Party Is Not for Sale,’ Usman Tells Abure as Party Seeks Prosecution Over Alleged Impersonation

Nigeria’s Labour Party crisis deepened on Tuesday as the Senator Nenadi Usman-led interim leadership issued a strong warning to Barrister Julius Abure, insisting that he no longer has any legal standing as national chairman and accusing him of impersonation despite court rulings to the contrary.

The party’s position was outlined in a statement signed in Abuja by its Interim National Secretary, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, following Abure’s recent comments disputing the implications of the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) stance on the party’s leadership.

The Usman-led executive accused Abure of ignoring binding court decisions that, according to the party, removed him from office. It also called on the Prosecutor-General of the Federation to fast-track action on recommendations for his prosecution over alleged impersonation and other related offences.

INEC, Court Rulings and FCT Elections

The dispute has intensified ahead of next month’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, after INEC declined to upload the details of Labour Party candidates submitted by Abure’s faction.

INEC has maintained that its decision is in line with existing Supreme Court and Federal High Court judgments, which the commission says invalidated Abure’s claim to the office of national chairman.

Responding to Abure’s assertion that INEC’s position had been misunderstood, Usman’s camp accused him and his associates of abusing the judicial process by filing multiple cases across courts nationwide.

According to the statement, more than 20 lawsuits have been instituted against INEC and the Labour Party’s interim leadership, a move described as a “desperate attempt” to destabilise the party and undermine democratic processes.

Allegations of Fraud and Party Commercialisation

The interim leadership further alleged that INEC refused to grant access codes for uploading candidate names because Abure had allegedly collected money from aspirants under false pretences, promising them tickets for the FCT elections.

“Labour Party is not for sale,” Usman said, warning against what she described as attempts to commercialise the party’s structures. She urged Abure and his supporters to “seek legitimate means of livelihood” rather than “trading in political platforms.”

The statement also dismissed Abure’s claim that INEC had moved on from the leadership dispute, describing it as “delusional” and disconnected from legal reality.

Call for Unity Ahead of 2027

Reaffirming its authority, the interim executive said the Labour Party remains united and committed to building a Nigeria founded on justice, equity and good governance.

The party listed Dr. Alex Chioma Otti as its national leader, Senator Nenadi Usman as national chairman, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as national secretary.

Members of the party, particularly youths and women participating in ongoing registration exercises and congresses, were urged to remain focused as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.