The Labour Party’s ongoing leadership crisis intensified on Tuesday, sparked by strong accusations from the faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This new development arose after INEC reportedly recognized Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman during a crucial consultative meeting held with political parties in Abuja.

In a statement released by Ken Eluma Asogwa, Senior Special Adviser (Media) to the Interim National Chairman, the Usman-led faction vehemently condemned Abure’s presence at the quarterly gathering. They branded his appearance as “a brazen act of impersonation” and highlighted it as “a tragic reflection of how far certain elements within INEC are willing to go in defying court judgments.” The faction asserted that such actions compromise the integrity of the Commission and demonstrate an “utter defiance of valid and subsisting court judgments, including that of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

To substantiate its claims, the faction cited the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025 (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which, according to them, “unequivocally declared that Barr. Julius Abure was no longer the National Chairman of the Labour Party.” Further supporting this position, they referenced a subsequent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on August 15, 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025), which “expressly rejected Abure’s prayers” and reinforced the apex court’s decision.

Adding to the apparent contradiction, the group pointed out that INEC itself had previously affirmed under oath, in a counter affidavit dated August 13, 2025, that Abure was no longer recognized as the Labour Party’s chairman. The statement sharply criticized this inconsistency, stating, “INEC cannot, in one breath, depose under oath that Abure is no longer chairman, and in another, accord him recognition. Such conduct amounts to contempt of court and a grave desecration of the sanctity of our judicial system.”

Asogwa also drew a parallel to a previous incident, recalling that under former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Commission had demonstrated “better respect for the rule of law.” He noted that on July 29, 2024, Abure was reportedly ordered out of a similar consultative meeting “on the clear grounds that he was no longer the National Chairman.” This precedent was used to question the current INEC leadership: “from where did the present actors within INEC derive the authority to override and overrule these court pronouncements and enable Abure’s participation in today’s meeting? This reckless display of impunity is unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians,” Asogwa queried.

The Labour Party faction issued a stern warning to the “transitional” INEC leadership, cautioning them to “tread cautiously,” as “even a brief tenure can leave a lasting stain on history.” They urged the Commission to immediately enforce the valid court judgments concerning the party’s leadership crisis. The statement concluded with a direct challenge: “If the current leadership lacks the courage to uphold the rule of law, it should at least refrain from further tarnishing what remains of the Commission’s credibility before its eventual exit.”

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP reports indicate that the very appearance of Abure and factional National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, at the INEC stakeholder meeting earlier in the day was the catalyst that reignited the deep-seated internal tensions within the Labour Party. Their attendance was publicly affirmed by Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, who described them as the “legitimate representatives” of the party, thus setting the stage for continued contention.