Kaduna State former lawmaker, Nenadi Usman, has assumed office as the Acting national chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja, becoming Nigeria’s first female National Chairman of a political party.
Before assuming office, there was heavy security presence at the national secretariat of the party, ending the hold of the Julius Abure-led faction.
Usman, who confirmed the development to newsmen on Tuesday, promises to address members concerns and stabilize the party before the 2027 general election.
She said: “Today, I resumed duties as the National Chairman of the LP at the Party’s National Secretariat, located at Utako, Abuja. I will continue to thank our supporters across the nation for your unflinching support and encouragement”.
On the deployment of policemen to the secretariat, the former lawmaker explained that the law enforcement officers’ presence were to ensure law and order around the LP secretariat.
“Yes, the police mounting guard at the national secretariat were invited by our people. They are there to perform their duties as per the court’s judgment. We are doing this together with the NLC. We only wrote to the police to provide cover for us this morning. So, the police are there for us.”
Asked if her camp was prepared for possible resistance from the Abure faction, Usman ruled out any confrontation considering that the court has ruled on the authentic faction for the party.
“There can’t be any confrontation from Abure. On what leg or basis is he standing to confront anybody? The same Abure you are talking about has since moved all his belongings from that office after the judgment.
“Since we started the agitation to take over the party secretariat, our name has not been on the INEC portal. There has never been a clear court directive by any court in Nigeria until now that Nenadi has been fully recognised as the national chairman.
“Now, the situation doesn’t give room for anybody to hang around again and be saying, ‘I am a factional this or that.’ No, not anymore. We are officially taking over the party this morning.
“I can assure you there won’t be violence or confrontation as you feared. For the police to even agree to come, you can understand that the game has changed. Before, if you wrote to the police, they would pretend like they didn’t see it,” she noted.
