Julius Abure-led Labour Party (LP) faction says the removal of its executives’ names from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal will not derail its preparations for the 2027 general election.
The faction spoke against the backdrop of a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja which affirmed the Nenadi Usman-led national caretaker committee as the authentic leadership of the party.
Peter Lifu, presiding judge, also ordered INEC to recognise the Usman-led faction, a decision the Abure group said it will challenge at the appellate court.
However, Obiora Ifoh, Labour Party factional national publicity secretary, said in a statement on Saturday that Nigerians must resist what he described as attempts by a few ambitious individuals to hijack democratic institutions.
Ifoh expressed confidence that the judgment of the lower court would be overturned, insisting that the party’s legal position remains strong.
He warned that continued tolerance of actions undermining internal party democracy could push the country into a deeper political crisis.
“Some persons who are applauding the impunity of certain politicians should retrace their steps and engage in introspection, because this was how, in the past, they applauded injustice in our democracy simply because they were beneficiaries,” the statement reads.
“At the end of the day, when their enthroned leaders began to abuse power, they started complaining.”
Ifoh added that the “removal of Abure led executive from the INEC’s portal is strange and unacceptable.”
The spokesperson urged party members to remain calm, stressing that the faction has faith in the judicial process.
“For us in the Labour Party, our faith is strong that the appellate court will do the right thing. Therefore, we advise our members to remain calm. We will continue the struggle to reclaim our party from godfatherism,” he said.
Ifoh said the LP is founded on social democracy, which he noted rejects concentration of power in the hands of one individual.
“The Labour Party is based on social democracy, where no single individual is permitted to appoint everyone,” he said.
“It is against the principles of the party for one man to sit in one place and appoint officials from the national working committee down to the state and ward executives.
“That is impunity of the highest order, and it negates the principles of the party.”
Ifoh argued that acceptance of such practices erodes party ideology and weakens democratic culture.
“When people say there is no party ideology in Nigeria, this is how it starts,” the spokesperson said.
He dismissed celebrations by Alex Otti, governor of Abia, and Nenadi Usman over the listing of their names on the INEC portal.
“The celebration by the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, Nenadi Usman, and their cohorts over the appearance of their names on the INEC portal will be short-lived,” he said.
“It is only for a short time, their victory is pyrrhic, and there is nothing to celebrate because the doomsday is closer than they imagine, which I believe will be catastrophic for them.
“Moreover, it is very clear that the appointment of the caretaker committee did not follow due process.”
Ifoh maintained that provisions of the party constitution and the Electoral Act were ignored in constituting the caretaker committee.
