ABUJA: Nenadi Usman, Chairperson of the Labour Party (LP) caretaker committee, has openly challenged Julius Abure, the factional national chairman of the party, to follow through on his threats to expose Peter Obi, Alex Otti, and other key figures aligned with her faction.
During an appearance on Television on Friday, Usman dismissed Abure’s threats as mere bravado, urging him to present whatever evidence he claims to have.
Earlier this week, Abure had accused Obi, Otti, and others of hypocrisy regarding the funding of the 2023 elections, warning that he would disclose damning information.
I’m waiting for them to make one more move. Abure stated that once I open my mouth, they’ll be like rotten eggs no one wants to buy.
In response, Usman was unfazed. Let him go ahead and expose us. If he truly has anything, he should reveal it, not just talk about it, she said.
Usman also disclosed that the party possesses documented evidence of Abure’s alleged misconduct, some of which is currently under police investigation.
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We have a lot of information on him. That’s why those affected reported him to the police. She added that the investigations are ongoing, and the public will soon hear more.
Usman described the internal conflict as a threat to democratic values within the party, warning that the Labour Party risks losing its identity as a credible opposition.
In any thriving democracy, a strong opposition is essential. But when the opposition aligns itself with the ruling party, democracy is at risk, and that’s what’s happening now, she said.
She emphasized that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired, and the party was simply complying with directives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address the leadership vacuum.
At some point, INEC made it clear that Abure and his National Working Committee (NWC) were no longer recognized due to the expiration of their terms, she explained.
When party leaders were invited by INEC, Abure was asked to leave the meeting along with his secretary.
Abure initially secured a court ruling ordering INEC to recognize him, but Usman said the matter eventually reached the Supreme Court. The apex court ruled that the lower courts lacked the jurisdiction to decide the issue.
The Supreme Court carefully reviewed the case and ruled that the lower courts had no jurisdiction. They affirmed that Abure’s tenure had ended, Usman said.
She referenced Justice Inyang Okoro’s remarks in the ruling, quoting him as saying, “Leaders should vacate office once their terms end, do so honourably.
Despite the ruling, Abure’s name still appears on the INEC website. Usman clarified that this is due to a court order, not a democratic process.
According to Usman, the Labour Party’s national executive committee (NEC) followed INEC’s guidance by establishing a caretaker committee to oversee new congresses and facilitate the election of new leaders from the grassroots to the national level.
She stated that Abure is free to contest again if he desires to lead the party, but criticised him for attempting to hold onto power through legal manoeuvres rather than democratic elections.
Abure can contest again if he wants. But the truth is—he and his NWC don’t want to face elections. They’re relying on the courts to cling to leadership, Usman said. That approach undermines the essence of being an opposition party.
