Former Labour Party (LP) National Chairman Julius Abure has condemned what he described as a forceful seizure of the party’s national secretariat, accusing a rival faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman and Abia State Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu of orchestrating an unlawful takeover and removal of party property.
The Abure faction, speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, characterised the incident as a violent breach of party offices, alleging that materials were removed and staff access was restricted, actions they say undermine internal party order and legal processes.
According to the statement, the operation occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at the party’s Utako headquarters in Abuja. Security personnel reportedly observed unidentified individuals arriving around 1 a.m. to replace billboards featuring Abure with images of Usman.
“The invasion, aided by eight truckloads of policemen, denied officers and staff access, ensuring that only members of the Nenadi interim leadership could enter the secretariat,” Ifoh said. He further alleged that armed officers blocked senior party figures, while Usman and Emetu ordered hoodlums to break into offices and remove files and other materials.
The faction acknowledged a Federal High Court ruling that named Usman as interim chairman but stressed that the verdict is currently being contested.
Ifoh urged security agencies to intervene and cautioned that inaction could weaken democratic structures, while appealing to party members to remain calm as leaders pursue judicial remedies.
“It is inappropriate and unnecessary for any group to resort to self-help by forcefully breaking into the national secretariat,” he added.
