The internal crisis within the Labour Party (LP) escalated on Thursday after the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, accused former National Chairman Julius Abure of allegedly breaking into the party’s national secretariat in Abuja and taking away sensitive documents.
Nenadi described the incident as “uncivilised,” alleging that Abure arrived at the secretariat late Tuesday night with some former executive members and security personnel, forced entry into the premises, and removed key documents.
Speaking after inspecting the facility with other party officials, she said the offices were vandalised and several important files were missing.
“On Tuesday night, right into the early hours of Wednesday, hoodlums invaded the office, broke into rooms and carted away documents,” she said. “When we first took over, there were several documents in the office, but now many have disappeared. It’s a very sad development.”
She warned that such actions undermine institutional processes and erode the integrity of organisations.
“Every institution must be respected. Documents belong to the office, not individuals. When you leave, you should hand over properly. Coming at night to take documents shows something is terribly wrong,” she added.
A security guard at the secretariat, Aminu Salusi, claimed Abure arrived around 8:30 p.m. with former executives and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS). He alleged that they gained access to the premises by force and assaulted security personnel.
According to him, they demanded the keys to the offices and threatened the guards before breaking into the chairman’s office and allegedly vandalising property.
The development comes amid an ongoing leadership tussle in the party. A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier recognised Nenadi as the legitimate head of the caretaker committee and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise her leadership.
Nenadi, who was appointed to head a 29-member caretaker committee in May 2025, said the party would soon begin membership revalidation and fresh registrations as part of efforts to reposition the LP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She also downplayed concerns over the defection of the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the Action Democratic Congress, saying the party’s future does not depend on one individual.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) pledged support for efforts to stabilise the party. Acting General Secretary Benson Upah said the Congress would work to ensure the LP remains united and prepared for the upcoming elections.
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