The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party took another dramatic turn yesterday after embattled former national chairman, Julius Abure, unveiled what he called “free nomination forms” for aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections.
But the move was swiftly rejected by the party’s recognised leadership and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, who accused Abure of acting against court rulings and the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Rather than deepen the confusion as many feared, aspirants seeking to contest under the Labour Party reportedly ignored Abure’s offer and headed to the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, where the Senator Nenadi Usman-led leadership is currently in charge.
Abure had announced that aspirants nationwide could freely obtain and submit nomination forms through his faction, maintaining that he remained the authentic national chairman of the party.
His position, however, drew immediate pushback from the Usman-led camp, which described the initiative as illegal and misleading.
Party officials dismissed the move as yet another episode in the long-running leadership tussle that has split the Labour Party since the 2023 elections.
“This has moved beyond politics into outright desperation,” a senior party figure aligned with the Usman leadership said. “You cannot be removed through legal processes, rejected by party structures, and still attempt to run parallel operations.”
The latest clash comes months after the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed Abure’s challenge against the caretaker leadership headed by Usman.
Despite the rulings, Abure has continued to present himself as national chairman and insists his leadership, which emerged from the party’s March 2024 convention in Nnewi, remains valid pending a final decision by the Supreme Court.
Defending the distribution of free forms, Abure said the initiative reflects Labour Party’s commitment to grassroots participation and making politics accessible to ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that aspirants should not be burdened by excessive nomination costs and insisted his faction would continue preparations for the 2027 elections.
The controversy intensified after photographs circulated online showing Abure presenting nomination forms to former party National Vice Chairman, Ceekay Igara, and other aspirants in Abia State.
Reacting to the development, Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, warned party members and aspirants against dealing with Abure or obtaining forms outside the party’s recognised national secretariat.
According to him, only nomination forms issued through the Utako headquarters are valid.
“Let it be clearly stated that Senator Nenadi Usman is the National Chairman of the Labour Party,” Asogwa said.
“All legitimate nomination forms for the 2027 general elections can only be obtained through the official national secretariat in Abuja. Any form obtained from Abure or any unauthorised source is worthless paper being circulated to deceive unsuspecting aspirants.”
The party further accused Abure of attempting to lure aspirants into a process that could collapse legally, warning that participation through unauthorised channels could jeopardise their political ambitions.
For now, the latest dispute has once again exposed the deep divisions within the Labour Party, with both camps digging in ahead of the 2027 political season.
