The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took a new turn on Wednesday as the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman announced a formal probe into allegations of misconduct against Julius Abure, the embattled national chairman of the party.
At a press conference in Abuja, Senator Usman accused Abure of defying his removal and continuing to parade himself as the party’s national chairman.
She alleged that Abure was running the party like a personal business venture.
“Rather than fostering unity,” Usman stated, “Abure allegedly exploited his position for personal enrichment.”
The caretaker committee, chaired by Senator Ireti Kingibe and with Peter Ameh as secretary, has been mandated to investigate accusations against Abure, including corruption, misappropriation of party funds, and anti-party activities, and to recommend disciplinary measures.
Meanwhile, in a swift countermeasure, the Abure-led faction of the party announced the indefinite suspension of prominent members, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowunmi.
The suspension was communicated through a statement signed by Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary of the Abure-led faction.
“By this suspension, these former members of the party will no longer act for and on behalf of the party. All concerned institutions, including the Nigeria Governors Forum, the National Assembly, INEC, and security agencies, among others, are to take note,” the statement read.
The statement also questioned why Senator Nenadi Usman was not among those suspended.
“It will surprise Nigerians and party faithful that the name of one Nenadi Usman was conspicuously omitted from the list of the suspended members of the party.
“First, we have said repeatedly that the said Nenadi Usman was and is not a member of the Labour Party, being not a card-carrying member of the Party.”
“We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction, as she is not a member of the party.”
The Usman-led committee, on its part, summoned Abure to appear before its disciplinary panel to respond to the various allegations against him.
It also accused him of hijacking party structures and failing to conduct proper ward, local government, state, and zonal congresses in preparation for a national convention.
Senator Usman pledged that her committee would restore internal democracy in the party. She revealed that a timetable for proper congresses and the election of new national executives would soon be announced.
This development comes just days after the Abure-led faction announced its own disciplinary committee, chaired by Ayo Olorunfemi, to probe Governor Otti and others over alleged anti-party activities.
That committee was given two weeks to submit its findings.