The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party Nigeria escalated on Tuesday as state chairmen loyal to the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against recognising or monitoring any fresh congresses by rival factions.
The chairmen, under the aegis of the Forum of Duly Elected State Chairmen, described moves to conduct new congresses as “illegal” and a threat to the party’s stability, insisting that valid congresses had already been concluded nationwide in December 2025.
In a communiqué signed by the forum’s Secretary, Abdurrahim Imam Chindo, the group said it had formally written to INEC, urging the electoral body to resist what it termed “institutional sabotage” lacking legal backing.
Congresses already concluded — Chairmen
The forum maintained that the December 2, 4 and 6, 2025 state congresses were conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act and duly monitored by INEC, stressing that the outcomes remain part of the commission’s official records.
It added that statutory notice was issued in line with Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, making the process legally binding and irreversible except by a court order.
“The mandate of the state chairmen is rooted in law and cannot be altered by administrative fiat,” the communiqué read.
The group warned that any attempt to conduct or recognise parallel congresses would create confusion within the party and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Reference to INEC’s earlier decision
The chairmen also recalled that INEC had, on February 16, 2026, rejected a request by a former minister, Nenadi Usman, seeking recognition of the dissolution of existing party structures.
According to them, the commission ruled at the time that the action lacked statutory notice and constitutional basis—a position they said remains valid and unchallenged.
They argued that any deviation from that stance would amount to a contradiction of INEC’s own records and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democratic system.
The forum stressed that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the authority to nullify congresses already monitored by INEC, warning that any parallel exercise would be resisted through legal means.
“Today it is the Labour Party; tomorrow it could be any other party,” the group stated, noting that the broader leadership dispute is already before the Court of Appeal, with INEC listed as a party in the suit.
They urged the electoral umpire to maintain the status quo pending judicial determination and to uphold the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its own guidelines.
Copies of the communiqué were sent to President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the National Assembly, security agencies, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, the United Nations, and foreign missions in Nigeria.
While reaffirming their commitment to internal democracy and peaceful engagement, the chairmen vowed to take all lawful steps to defend what they described as the integrity of the party’s structures.
The latest development underscores the deepening factional battle within the Labour Party, raising fresh concerns over its cohesion ahead of future electoral contests.
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