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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) deepened on Tuesday as the Julius Abure-led faction accused a rival group loyal to Senator Nenadi Usman of forcefully and illegally taking over the party’s national secretariat in Abuja in a midnight operation.
Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, described the action as criminal, uncivilised and a blatant abuse of due process, insisting that the takeover had no valid legal backing.
“They came with the police, without any court order, in the middle of the night, around 12 a.m., and took over the party secretariat.
“That is criminal. That is uncivilised. That is illegal,” Olorunfemi said.
According to him, the Abure-led leadership had earlier anticipated a possible move to seize the secretariat and made arrangements to forestall it, but the rival faction acted covertly after realising the party was prepared.
“We expected this last week and made all necessary arrangements. But when they discovered we were ready for them, they decided to come at midnight when everyone was in their homes.
“That alone shows bad faith,” he stated.
Olorunfemi alleged that the group broke into the offices in the absence of key officials, raising concerns over the safety of sensitive party documents and assets.
“They broke into our offices in our absence. You know the implications of that, party documents, equipment and sensitive materials,” he said.
On the legal claims by the Nenadi Usman faction, Olorunfemi dismissed assertions that the takeover was based on a subsisting court judgment, describing such claims as misleading.
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“Everybody knows that the so-called High Court judgment is not final.
“We have filed a stay of execution and taken all necessary legal steps. If they are truly confident in their position, why are they afraid of the appeal?” he asked.
He further argued that the matter remains before the Federal High Court and that any judgment being relied upon is ineffective.
“That judgment is dead on arrival. The court itself made reference to our submissions in its ruling. The position of the law is very clear,” he added.
Olorunfemi also insisted that no stakeholder meeting or interim arrangement can override the authority of the party’s national convention.
“The national convention is the highest decision-making organ of the party.
“It took a decision as far back as 2024 and no court has set it aside and, so a stakeholder meeting cannot overturn the decision of a convention,” he said.
The development cqme amid heavy security presence at the Labour Party secretariat in Utako, Abuja, where banners and insignia of the Nenadi Usman-led interim leadership were mounted following the takeover.
More details later…..
