Labour Party Urges Abure To Apologise To Obi, Otti

Abuja, Nigeria — The National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party (LP) under the leadership of Senator Nenadi Usman has set up a six-member Disciplinary Committee to investigate allegations of corruption and anti-party activities against the party’s erstwhile National Chairman, Julius Abure.

Usman who announced the setting up of the committee at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the party was tired of the antics of the former Chairman, whom she described as an impostor.

She said, “Under Article 19 of the Labour Party Constitution (1999 as amended), and in response to serious allegations of corruption, financial misconduct, and anti-party activities, the NEC hereby constitutes a disciplinary committee to investigate Barrister Julius Abure and recommend appropriate sanctions.

“Members of the Disciplinary Committee:
Senator Ireti Kingibe (Chairman), High Chief Peter Ameh (Secretary) other members are: Kumba Mbemba, Hon. Okejo Onwakalusi, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulkarim and a former acting National Chairman of the party, Mrs. Maria Lebeke.”

The committee which was given 21 days to submit its report, was charged with the task of investigating the allegations as well as evidence brought before it.

It was also implored to ensure that the all parties are given fair hearing.

Senator Usman explained that contrary to the deliberate attempt by Abure and his co-travelers, the party under her leadership has taken steps to restore confidence in the party.

She said, “Today, we address you on the true state of the Labour Party and to lay bare the facts, the law, and the resolute actions we are taking to reposition the party in line with the values of transparency, accountability, discipline and internal democracy.

“In the course of our collective journey as a Party, we have encountered both progress and challenges. While we commend the Nigerian Judiciary and celebrate the recent Supreme Judgement that sacked Mr Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Party and honour the dedication of our members nationwide, we must also confront with courage and clarity Mr Abure and his co-travellers’ divisive actions and familiar manipulative antics that threaten the integrity, public image and unity of our party.

“ It is in this spirit of responsibility to safeguard our cherished democratic ideals of the Labour Party and consequent upon Mr. Abure’s unabated misrepresentation and impersonation of the office of the National Chairman of the Labour Party that the NEC in session have reached a hard but necessary decision.

“After a careful and comprehensive review of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on Friday, April 4, 2025, the National Executive Council (NEC) is deeply concerned by the subsequent actions of Barr. Julius Abure, particularly his continued impersonation of the esteemed office of the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

“ These actions have not only violated the spirit and letter of the law but have also brought the image and integrity of our great party into disrepute. In the exercise of its constitutional mandate and in strict accordance with the disciplinary provisions of the Labour Party Constitution 2019 (As Amended), the NEC, in session, hereby announces the commencement of disciplinary actions against Mr. Abure.

“These actions have started with the constitution of a special investigative committee to review the actions of Mr. Abure as it affects the image and integrity of the party. In line with due process and the party constitution, NEC gives Mr. Abure 48 hours notice to show why disciplinary actions would not be taken against him for his numerous acts of misconduct against the party.

“ The formal notice of disciplinary actions will be sent to the last known address of Barr. Julius Abure.

“ Mr. Abure is hereby warned to desist from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party or impersonating the office in any form.

“The apex court of the land has clearly and finally nullified his claim to leadership, and his tenure has long expired by the passage of time. His continuing acts of reckless denigration of party leadership and open war against the party will attract severe sanctions.

“ Rather than drag the image of the Party into further disrepute, Mr. Abure is advised to deploy his time and attention to addressing the serious allegations of corruption, forgery, perjury, and criminal conspiracy pending against him.”

While dissociating self from the personal attacks launched against the party’s leaders by Abure, the LP Chairperson said, the party’s NEC passed a resounding vote of confidence on Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and the LP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, for their support and contributions to the party.

Specifically, the party’s NEC tendered an unreserved apology to both party leaders for the uncouth language hurled at them by Abure.

Senator Usman also went down memory lane to chronicle how the current leadership came into being.

She said, “On June 9, 2023: Barr. Julius Abure was allowed to lead the LP NWC for a transitional one-year period post-2023 elections based on mediation and conciliation, with the clear mandate to conduct congresses from ward to national levels.

“March 2024: Instead of following due process, Abure convened a National Convention without ward, LGA, or state congresses without INEC supervision contrary to the provisions of the Section 223 of the 999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), the Labour Party Constitution and INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.

“June 8, 2024: INEC formally communicated to Mr Abure that his tenure had expired.INEC excluded Abure from national party chairmen meetings twice, recognising and emphasising that his tenure had lapsed.

“During the 2024 Ondo Governorship Election, INEC rejected LP agent lists submitted under Abure. Abure sued INEC to compel recognition—a legal battle he lost.

“The Federal High Court erroneously ruled in Abure’s favour, prompting a misleading INEC portal entry: “Barr. Julius Abure (by court order).”

“On September 4, 2025, Labour Party stakeholders, including elected officials and statutory NEC members, met in Umuahia, Abia State, and constituted a 29-member National Caretaker Committee led by Sen. Nenadi Esther Usman (Chairman) and Sen. Darlington Nwokocha (Secretary).

“This committee was mandated to manage the affairs of the party and conduct full congresses from the ward to the national convention.

The LP NCC applied to join the suit, and after appealing the erroneous Federal High Court decision, the Court of Appeal upheld Abure’s claim in November 2024.

“The LP NCC, led by my humble self, appealed the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on April 4, 2025, delivered a final and binding judgment:
a. It upheld the appeal by Sen. Nenadi Usman’s Caretaker Committee;
b. It dismissed Abure’s cross-appeal;
c. It set aside the decisions of the lower courts recognising Abure;
d. It warned that party leaders should humbly vacate office at the end of their tenure;
e. Honourable Justice John Inyang Okoro specifically declared: “The decisions of the trial court and the court below, recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the first respondent (LP), are hereby set aside.”

The LP NCC Chairperson also stated that “Investigations have revealed that Abure illegally issued State Executive Committee letters every three months, in breach of LP’s constitutional provisions.

“Accordingly, we hereby nullify all letters issued by the erstwhile Chairman to State Executive Committees. The National Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee is the only organ of the Labour Party with the power to appoint State Executive Caretaker Committees.

Looking forward she said, “It is with great optimism and a sense of renewed purpose that I inform our members across the globe that the leadership of our great Party is diligently working to launch the nationwide membership registration, and revalidation exercise in the coming weeks.

“This critical step will strengthen our grassroots engagement and reposition the Labour Party as a truly people-driven movement. In furtherance of this, we have formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of our planned activities, including the forthcoming ward, local government, state, and zonal congresses, culminating in the National Convention. Full details and schedules will be communicated to all stakeholders in the coming days.”

Margret Oshinowo | May 7, 2025