ABURE-led faction accuses NLC of plotting to invade LP national secretariat over supreme court verdict

Monday, April 7, 2025 - The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of plotting to invade the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. 

This accusation comes in the wake of a Supreme Court judgement on Friday that nullified an earlier appeal court ruling which had recognised Abure as the party’s national chairman.

Following the Supreme Court decision, Nenadi Usman, chairperson of the LP caretaker committee backed by prominent party figures such as Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, praised the ruling. The Labour Party’s House of Representatives caucus also celebrated the judgement, describing it as a “tonic and elixir” for the party’s “stability and reinvention.”

The LP has been embroiled in a deepening leadership crisis that has split the party into opposing factions. The NLC remains opposed to Abure’s leadership and has backed the caretaker committee led by Usman.

In a statement released on Sunday, April 7, Umar Ibrahim, National Secretary of the LP, alleged that the NLC, in collaboration with the Usman-led caretaker committee and the party’s national transition committee (NTC), is mobilising for an attempted takeover of the party’s secretariat.

According to Ibrahim, “The NLC is mobilising its members, hired thugs and some miscreants” for an invasion expected to commence on Monday. He claimed the alleged plan includes an attempt to cart away sensitive documents and vandalise party property.

“We view this action which is capable of breaching the peace of the Federal Capital Territory as irresponsible and evidence of desperation on the NLC,” the statement said.

Ibrahim emphasized that the April 5, 2025 Supreme Court judgement was clear, saying, “The judgement simply mandates political parties to always resolve their crisis using internal mechanism, and that the issue of leadership is an internal affair of the political parties.”

He continued, “There is nowhere in the judgement that gave NLC, National Caretaker Committee or any other body by whatever nomenclature to take over the leadership of the Labour Party.”

Reaffirming support for Abure, Ibrahim said, “There is a leadership in place in the Labour Party and Barrister Julius Abure who was validly elected at a convention held in March 2024 still remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party.”

He warned that “any attempt to forcefully usurp” the leadership of the party would be resisted and urged the police and other security agencies to take action to prevent any breach of peace at the LP headquarters.