Disquiet in Labour Party over Abure’s details on INEC portal

By John Alechenu, Abuja

The Senator Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party (LP) has become increasingly concerned about the continued retention of the particulars of Barr. Julius Abure as National Chairman of the party on the official website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Party insiders told Vanguard in confidence that this has remained a source of concern for the leadership and supporters, who had expected the electoral management body to act in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment, which declared that Abure’s tenure had expired.

A member of the party’s statutory National Executive Committee (NEC), who pleaded anonymity for fear of retribution, said, “We are still at a loss as to what games are being played at the moment.

“It was the same INEC that issued a statement last week reiterating what was contained in the Supreme Court Judgement of April 4th, last year which stated unequivocally that the tenure of Julius Abure as National Chairman has since expired.

“But if you go to the same INEC website now, you will see the names of Abure and members of his National Working Committee , NWC,  still on display.

“To think that the Commission has just released the timetable for the 2027 general elections and we still have to be dealing with an issue which has been resolved by the highest court in the land sends the wrong signal honestly.”

Abure and his team have since insisted that the statement issued by INEC explaining why it refused to upload the particulars of LP candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), council elections was specific to the polls.

Towards this end, Spokesperson for the Abure-led faction of the party, Obiora Ifoh, dismissed claims by Usman and her supporters as baseless.

It will be recalled that the party’s NWC under Senator Usman’s leadership held a meeting on Wednesday, 7th January 2026, after which it demanded INEC recognition.

A statement jointly signed by Senators Usman and Darlington Nwochocha, Interim Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, read in part, Part: “The NWC received the INEC press release of 7th January 2026 with relief and a sense of institutional clarity, noting that the release merely reaffirms the Supreme Court judgment of 4th April 2025, which held that the tenure of Mr. Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party had elapsed.

“The National Leadership of the Labour Party therefore urges INEC, in line with its press release and subsisting court judgments, to accord Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha all rights, recognition, and privileges attached to the office of National Chairman and National Secretary of the Labour Party, in strict compliance with the rule of law and the Supreme Court judgment referenced by INEC.”

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