Abure, Otti and Usman
The Labour Party, LP, has formally dispensed with the leadership of Julius Abure as national chairman of the party.
In his place, the party adopted Senator Nenadi Esther Usman as Interim National Chairman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as Interim National Secretary.
It also ratified a new National Working Committee, NWC.
The developments were announced in a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja on Friday.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti; and his deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu were among the party chieftains at the meeting and endorsed the communiqué alongside Chief Sylvester Ejiofor, the party’s Board of Trustees Chairman.
Representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, and other senior party officials were also in the meeting.
Senator Nwokocha, who read the communiqué, confirmed that the decisions were in consonance with the Labour Party’s Constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling of 4th April 2025, which affirmed an end to Barrister Julius Abure’s tenure as national chairman.
NEC urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security operatives to act professionally and impartially as the country heads to general elections in 2027.
“The NEC called on INEC and all security agencies to discharge their statutory responsibilities impartially and professionally to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in the forthcoming elections,” the communiqué stated.
Labour Party also reviewed its plans for upcoming by-elections and the Anambra governorship poll, reaffirming its commitment to fielding credible candidates.
Addressing the meeting, Governor Otti stated that the party was committed to a structured transition.
“We thought we should follow the process. What we are here to do is to formally start the process of getting a new leadership for this party, in an organised and structured manner,” Otti said, adding that the process would commence from ward level, progressing through local governments, states, and zones, and ultimately culminating in a national convention.
Furthermore, the governor said following the Supreme Court’s verdict, the current NEC lacked the capacity to steer the party alone.
“The power conferred on us gives us authority to set up an interim national working committee. And that committee has just one job — manage this party until the convention, when a new leadership would emerge,” he said.
The newly constituted interim working committee is to oversee all party activities when when the party would hold its national convention.
The party also ordered the approval of the schedule for the conduct of ward congresses, local government area congresses, state congresses, Zonal congresses, for the said Convention while the party’s secretariat is to ensure the publication of the guidelines and timelines.
