There was a heightened security presence on Tuesday at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Abuja as Senator Nenadi Usman, the party’s acting National Chairman, took over the headquarters from the Julius Abure-led faction.
Usman confirmed the development in a phone interview conducted through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa.
A visit to the party’s secretariat in Utako, Abuja, showed armed police officers stationed within and around the premises, with strict access control measures in place. Party members, supporters and journalists were subjected to security screening and required to present proper identification before being allowed entry.
All Labour Party banners and billboards bearing the images of Abure and his executives were removed and replaced with those featuring Usman, signalling a shift in leadership control.
Sources within the party disclosed that the interim leadership had also instructed members to begin preparations to take over Labour Party state secretariats nationwide.
Responding to questions on whether the Otti-backed faction had fully assumed control of the national secretariat, Usman described the takeover as long overdue.
“Yes, the police mounting guard at the national secretariat were invited by our people. They are there to perform their duties in line with the court’s judgment. We are doing this together with the NLC,” she said.
According to her, the police presence followed a formal request made earlier in the day. “We only wrote to the police this morning to provide cover for us. So, the police are there for us,” she added.
Usman dismissed concerns about possible resistance from the Abure faction, insisting that there would be no confrontation.
“There can’t be any confrontation from Abure. On what basis is he standing to confront anybody? After the judgment, he moved all his belongings from that office,” she said.
She further noted that the party’s leadership status had now been clearly resolved by the courts and relevant authorities.
“There has never been a clear court directive until now recognising Nenadi as the national chairman. The situation no longer allows anyone to claim factional leadership. We are officially taking over the party today,” Usman stated.
She assured party members and the public that the transition would be peaceful, noting that the police’s willingness to provide security reflected a change in the legal and political landscape surrounding the party’s leadership crisis.
Shortly after the interview, the party’s interim leadership circulated a press invitation, inviting journalists to witness the official takeover of the national secretariat by 11 a.m.
The statement read: “The Labour Party Interim Leadership, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, invites you to the handing-over ceremony of the Progress Report on Membership Revalidation and Registration to the National Leadership of the Party, as well as the formal takeover of the Party’s National Secretariat at Utako, Abuja.”
Reacting to the development, the factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the Abure-led faction would issue an official response.
“It is strange to hear that the police sealed our secretariat despite the fact that we have appealed the judgment. Their explanation is that they have a court order. We will make our position known very soon,” he said.
Last month, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had expired and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the caretaker committee led by Usman pending the conduct of a national convention.
The ruling followed months of internal disputes, court battles and parallel leadership claims within the party, which escalated after the 2023 general elections.
While the Otti-backed faction welcomed the judgment and called for unity and reconciliation, Abure rejected the decision and vowed to appeal, warning INEC against recognising the caretaker committee.
INEC later confirmed Usman as acting National Chairman, citing a court order. Two weeks ago, Abure’s name was replaced with Usman’s on INEC’s website.
Other officials listed by INEC include Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary, Hamisu Santuraki as National Treasurer, Aisha Madije as National Financial Secretary, and Eric Ifere as National Legal Adviser.
