Tension Rises in Labour Party as INEC Delays Recognition of Caretaker Committee

The Labour Party (LP) is facing growing anxiety due to the delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in recognizing the newly established caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman. Two weeks after its formation, the 29-member committee is still waiting for formal acknowledgment, which has stalled its efforts to organize elections for new party executives at various levels.

The committee, inaugurated on September 4 at a stakeholder meeting organized by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s national leader, Peter Obi, was created with the mandate to steer the party through a leadership transition. However, the delay in INEC’s recognition has become a significant roadblock, leaving the party in a state of uncertainty.

An anonymous member of the committee expressed concerns, noting that despite submitting a request for recognition to INEC on September 6, the commission has yet to respond. According to the source, INEC’s reluctance to act is linked to an ongoing lawsuit filed by the party’s leadership at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The legitimacy of the committee is further complicated by a legal challenge from embattled Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure, who has taken INEC to court in a bid to prevent the commission from recognizing the Usman-led caretaker panel.

“The initial plan was to have Abure or some members of his National Working Committee attend the Umuahia meeting, which could have helped grant it some legitimacy. Unfortunately, none of them showed up, leaving INEC with little room to act,” the source explained. Another setback occurred when the first letter submitted for recognition was rejected by INEC because it was signed by someone other than Obi, further delaying the process.

In response to these challenges, the caretaker committee has sought an injunction from a state High Court in Aba to prevent the Abure-led faction from continuing to present themselves as the legitimate leaders of the party. In anticipation of a favorable ruling, Usman and other party leaders convened in Abuja on Tuesday for the caretaker committee’s inaugural meeting. The event was attended by prominent figures such as Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, and Ikechukwu Emetu, the Deputy Governor of Abia State.

Meanwhile, Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, has urged party members to ignore the Usman-led committee, labeling them as “destabilizing agents” aiming to disrupt the party’s progress. Ifoh stressed that the Labour Party operates under a constitution and would not tolerate any unconstitutional moves.

“Our party is united, and we won’t let outsiders dismantle the house we’ve built. Many of them are new to the party but are already positioning themselves to take control,” Ifoh remarked, reaffirming the party’s stance against recognizing the caretaker committee.