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The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took another dramatic turn on Tuesday night after suspected intruders attempted to breach the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, an incident the party says has now been contained, following the intervention of security operatives.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party, under the interim national chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, commended the Nigeria Police for what it described as a “prompt and decisive response” that prevented a breakdown of order at its headquarters.
Ken Asogwa, Special Adviser on Media to Senator Usman, disclosed that several suspects have been arrested in connection with the attempted intrusion and are currently cooperating with investigators.
According to him, the arrests may open the door to uncovering those who allegedly sponsored the operation.
“Through the timely intervention of the Nigerian Police, normalcy has been fully restored at the Party Secretariat,” the statement read. “We appreciate the vigilance of our supporters nationwide and the professionalism of security agencies in ensuring that law and order prevailed.”
Power Struggle and Legal Backdrop
The attempted breach comes barely hours after the Usman-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) formally assumed control of the Labour Party’s national secretariat in accordance with a court judgment that affirmed the current leadership structure.
The party maintained that the ruling was “clear and unambiguous,” and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had since complied by officially recognising Senator Nenadi Usman as National Chairman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary.
Against this backdrop, the party alleged that certain elements of the former leadership were behind efforts to disrupt operations at the secretariat.
Without naming individuals, Asogwa warned that the party would no longer tolerate what he described as “acts of brigandage” or attempts to desecrate the party’s premises under the cover of darkness.
“Nigeria is governed by law, not by intimidation or theatrics,” the statement asserted. “Those bent on manufacturing crisis or sowing confusion in the name of the Labour Party are advised to desist immediately.”
Crackdown on Impostors
Beyond the incident at the secretariat, the Labour Party also called on law enforcement agencies to widen their investigations to include individuals allegedly parading themselves as party officials without authorisation.
The leadership accused such persons of exploiting the internal dispute to mislead members of the public and defraud unsuspecting supporters.
“These charlatans who operate under the Party’s banner without lawful authority must be held accountable,” the statement said. “No individual, regardless of status or previous position, is above party discipline or the laws of the land.”
Restored Calm, Lingering Tensions
While calm has reportedly returned to the Utako secretariat, the episode underscores the lingering tensions within the Labour Party, following months of internal wrangling over leadership legitimacy.
Observers say the latest development signals that the battle for control of the party structure may be far from over, even as the Usman-led leadership insists that the legal and electoral authorities have settled the matter.
For now, party officials say operations at the secretariat have resumed uninterrupted, with security tightened to forestall any further disturbances.
Whether the arrests will ultimately expose deeper fractures within the party remains to be seen.
