By Seyi Odewale
The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party deepened on Thursday as the party petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services over the alleged unauthorised sale of nomination forms by former national chairman Julius Abure.
National Chairman of the party, Nenadi Usman, disclosed this in Abuja during the screening of aspirants ahead of the party’s primaries.
Usman said copies of the petitions had also been forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission, insisting that the forms allegedly being circulated by Abure were not authorised by the party’s recognised leadership.
“We received the news surprisingly. After the Court ruled that his tenure was over, we went to Umuahia, held a national convention, and elected new leaders. INEC was there and recognised what we did,” she said.
The LP chairman maintained that the leadership which emerged from the party’s convention in Umuahia remained the authentic leadership recognised by the electoral commission.
She also disclosed that the party had not received any official notice regarding an alleged appeal reportedly filed by Abure at the Supreme Court over the lingering leadership tussle.
According to her, the apex court was likely to uphold its earlier decision.
Usman accused Abure’s camp of misleading unsuspecting aspirants into purchasing unauthorised nomination forms.
“One man came here to tell me his wife was contesting, and when I looked at the form, it was not the form we issued. They are deceiving people, and it is not right,” she stated.
Despite the internal wrangling, Usman expressed confidence in the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, revealing that interest among aspirants remained high.
She disclosed that three aspirants had already purchased the party’s presidential nomination forms.
The LP chairman also reaffirmed the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, warning northern aspirants not to obtain nomination forms.
“We have decided that our next candidate or flag bearer should come from the South. Anybody from the North who wants to buy forms should not even bother,” she said.
Usman added that the party was considering adopting a consensus arrangement ahead of the primaries, while assuring members that the process would remain transparent and credible.
