The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally acknowledged the Labour Party (LP) National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Nenadi Usman, in compliance with a Federal High Court directive.
A review of INEC’s official website on Friday confirmed that Usman has been listed as the Chairperson of the Labour Party’s Caretaker Committee.
The recognised leadership also includes Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary, Hamisu Santuraki as National Treasurer, Aisha Madije as National Financial Secretary, and Eric Ifere as National Legal Adviser.
INEC’s decision follows a January 21 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which affirmed Usman’s position as the legitimate leader of the party and ordered the electoral body to recognise the Usman-led NWC.
Justice Lifu hinged his ruling on an earlier Supreme Court decision that identified Nenadi Usman as the rightful leader of the Labour Party.
In his judgment, the court noted that Julius Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired, describing the formation of a caretaker committee as a necessary step arising from the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The judge subsequently instructed INEC to treat the Usman-led committee as the legally recognised authority of the party pending the conduct of a valid national convention.
The latest development adds another layer to the long-running leadership crisis within the Labour Party, one of Nigeria’s key opposition platforms.
Reacting to the ruling, the faction aligned with Julius Abure announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The group’s spokesperson, Obiorah Ifoh, criticised the Federal High Court judgment, arguing that it conflicted with established Supreme Court positions on internal party leadership disputes.
According to Ifoh, the apex court has consistently ruled that courts lack the authority to appoint leaders for political parties, insisting that such matters remain internal affairs.
He further pointed out that the Court of Appeal had previously recognised the Abure-led NWC as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party.
The leadership struggle within the Labour Party dates back to the period following the 2023 general elections, during which the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, secured more than six million votes nationwide.
With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, Obi has since declared his allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while the Labour Party has named Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, as its national leader.
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