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• Usman-led group takes over party secretariat • It was forceful, uncivilised, illegal take-over –Abure group
From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Julius Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has accused Senator Nenadi Usman and the Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, of forcefully breaking into and occupying the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja in the early hours of yesterday.
The development marked a new turn in the party’s leadership crisis. LP has been embroiled in legal and political battles since after the 2023 general elections.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure-led group described the action as an unlawful invasion carried out with the backing of police.
According to the statement, hoodlums allegedly invaded the secretariat around 1am, pulled down existing party billboards and replaced them with banners bearing the images of Senator Usman and members of her interim leadership.
Security personnel at the secretariat reportedly confirmed that the invasion was aided by about eight truckloads of policemen, who blocked access to party officials and staff, allowing only members of the Usman faction into the premises.
“The Abure-led leadership is dumbfounded at the invasion of its secretariat by the Usman camp, aided by the police in the early hours of Tuesday,” the statement said.
It further alleged that Senator Usman, accompanied by the Abia State Deputy Governor, ordered her supporters to break into several offices and cart away files and other sensitive materials.
“When some of our senior officials came to the office in the morning, they were prevented by the police.
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“We chose not to confront them to avoid clashes and maintain peace,” Obiora said.
He acknowledged that a Federal High Court in the FCT had earlier delivered a judgment recognising Senator Usman as Interim National Chairman, but stressed that the ruling is currently under legal challenge.
“It is on record that the party has obtained a stay of execution order and appealed the judgment.
“It is, therefore, inappropriate and needless for any group to resort to self-help by illegally breaking into the National Secretariat,” the statement added.
The party called on security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to intervene in what it described as a threat to democratic institutions.
“If this anomaly is not checked, it is a pointer that our democracy and its institutions are being threatened,” Obiora warned.
Earlier, reports from the secretariat confirmed a heavy security presence at the Utako headquarters of the party, with banners and insignia of the Usman-led interim leadership replacing those of the Abure faction.
Senator Usman’s camp maintained that the takeover was lawful and in line with a subsisting court order recognising her leadership, while the Abure faction insists the matter is still before the courts.
