Senator Nenadi Usman has formally assumed control of the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, making history as Nigeria’s first female national chairman of a political party.

The takeover was marked by a significant security presence, with armed police officers stationed within and around the premises.

Usman, acting as National Chairman, assumed control from the Julius Abure-led faction.

She confirmed the development through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, noting that the process was in line with a recent court judgment.

At the secretariat, party members, supporters, and journalists were subjected to thorough security screening before being allowed entry.

Banners and billboards featuring Abure and his executives were removed and replaced with those of Usman and the interim leadership.

The new leadership has reportedly directed members to begin preparations for similar takeovers of state-level Labour Party secretariats across the country.

Speaking on the development, Usman described the takeover as long overdue.

“Yes, the police mounting guard at the national secretariat were invited by our people. They are there to perform their duties in line with the court’s judgment. We are doing this together with the NLC,” she said.

She dismissed fears of confrontation with the Abure faction, insisting that there was no basis for resistance.

“There can’t be any confrontation from Abure. He moved all his belongings from the office after the judgment. There is no longer room for factional claims. We are officially taking over the party,” Usman added.

The interim leadership later sent out a media invitation for an official handover ceremony, scheduled for 11 am at the secretariat, which will include a progress report on membership revalidation and registration.

Reacting to the takeover, the Abure-led faction, through its National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh, said it would respond officially, noting that the judgment had been appealed.

The development follows a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja which declared that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had ended and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the caretaker committee led by Usman pending a national convention.

INEC has since updated its records, listing Usman as acting National Chairman along with other recognised national officers.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law later this month, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has confirmed.

Akpabio made the statement on Tuesday during an emergency Senate plenary session, where lawmakers inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with harmonising the Senate’s version of the bill with that of the House of Representatives.

The move comes amid widespread backlash over certain amendments to the Act.

“I believe that if you are able to conclude within the next few days or a week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill into law within this month of February,” Akpabio told the Senate.

“I wish you a worthy deliberation with your colleagues.”

The committee, he added, should treat the harmonisation process as a matter of urgency, noting that the expansion of its membership followed consultations with House leadership to ensure alignment between both chambers.

The session follows opposition criticism and public protests over the Senate’s initial rejection of proposals for real-time electronic transmission of election results as outlined in Clause 60 (3) of the Electoral Act.

The original provision allowed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the mode of result transmission.

On Tuesday, however, the Senate reversed its earlier stance, approving electronic transmission while retaining a manual backup procedure.

In cases of internet failure, the manually generated Form EC8A will serve as the primary tool for collation.

Opposition leaders have argued that any weakening of electronic transmission could undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has confirmed a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing it as a critical step toward resolving the ongoing political crisis in the state.

Wike said the meeting, which took place on Monday, February 9, was initiated by President Tinubu as part of efforts to broker peace between Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Speaking after an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Abuja, Wike expressed appreciation for the President’s intervention and optimism that it would mark the final attempt to reconcile the parties.

“I remember this is the second time the President is intervening and I believe, by the grace of God, this is going to be the last time,” Wike said.

He urged the state assembly to “do the needful” and comply with the President’s directives, adding that he expects Governor Fubara to play his part in ensuring lasting peace.

The development comes a day after Wike and Fubara reportedly left together for the minister’s residence in Abuja following a meeting at the Presidential Villa, which observers viewed as a possible signal of temporary truce.

The closed-door meeting, which also included other key political figures from Rivers State, aimed to address the prolonged power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.

It follows the issuance of a third impeachment notice against Fubara by lawmakers aligned with Wike, a matter currently under litigation.

Key issues reportedly discussed include whether Governor Fubara would abandon his second-term ambition and cede political leadership to Wike’s camp, though it remains unclear if any formal agreement was reached.

The pro-Wike lawmakers have yet to indicate whether they will withdraw the impeachment notice.

Wike’s comments signal a strong push for reconciliation, but the sustainability of any truce remains uncertain amid the ongoing political tension in the oil-rich state.

There was a strong security presence at the national secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja on Tuesday as acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, assumed control of the party’s headquarters from the Julius Abure-led faction.

Usman confirmed the development in a phone interview through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa.

At the secretariat located in Utako, armed police officers were deployed within and around the premises, while visitors, party members and journalists were subjected to thorough security checks before being granted access.

Banners and billboards bearing images of Abure and his executive team were removed and replaced with those of Usman and the new leadership.

Party sources disclosed that the interim leadership had begun plans to extend the takeover to state secretariats nationwide.

Speaking on the development, Usman described the move as long overdue, stating that the police presence was requested to ensure a peaceful transition in line with a court judgment.

She explained that the police were formally invited to provide protection during the process, adding that the takeover was being carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Usman dismissed the likelihood of resistance from the Abure faction, insisting there was no basis for confrontation.
According to her, Abure had already vacated the

office following the court ruling, while recent developments, including recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission, confirmed the legitimacy of the new leadership.

She maintained that the party was now officially taking control of its national secretariat and repositioning its structures.

Shortly after her remarks, the interim leadership issued a media invitation for journalists to witness the formal takeover and presentation of a progress report on membership revalidation and registration.

Reacting, the factional National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the Abure-led camp would soon state its position, describing the police action as surprising given that an appeal had been filed.

He added that the faction would respond after reviewing the situation.

The development follows a Federal High Court judgment last month which held that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had expired and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the caretaker committee led by Usman pending the conduct of a national convention.

The ruling came after months of internal disputes, legal battles and leadership tussles within the party after the 2023 general elections.

While the Otti-backed faction welcomed the decision and called for unity, Abure rejected the judgment and proceeded with an appeal, cautioning INEC against recognising the caretaker leadership.

INEC later updated its records to reflect Usman as acting National Chairman, listing Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary, Hamisu Santuraki as National Treasurer, Aisha Madije as National Financial Secretary and Eric Ifere as National Legal Adviser.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticised the Senate over its recent amendment to the Electoral Act, accusing lawmakers of misleading Nigerians.

Okonkwo’s reaction followed the decision of the Senate, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to approve electronic transmission of election results while permitting manual collation in situations where real-time transmission is not possible due to network or technical challenges.

In a statement shared on his X handle on Tuesday and titled “Nigerians are duped by the Senate,” the former Labour Party spokesperson argued that the amendment undermines the credibility of electronic transmission.

He specifically faulted changes to Section 60 of the Electoral Act, which allow the use of manually generated Form EC8A for collation when electronic transmission cannot be carried out.

According to him, the provision weakens the objective of adopting technology in elections by making electronic transmission optional rather than compulsory.

Okonkwo said the proposal, reportedly introduced by Senator Mohammed Monguno, effectively returns the country to a system where manual results can determine outcomes whenever technical glitches are cited.

He argued that Nigerians had expected a legal framework that makes electronic transmission mandatory, insisting that any election where results cannot be transmitted electronically from polling units should be cancelled and rescheduled.

Drawing a comparison with the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Okonkwo noted that the Electoral Act already provides for cancellation and rescheduling of elections where BVAS fails during voter accreditation.

He warned that allowing manual collation as an alternative could erode public confidence in the electoral process and compromise the integrity of elections.

Okonkwo further alleged that the Senate’s action could weaken democratic gains, urging Nigerians to demand stricter safeguards to ensure that electronic transmission remains central to election result management in the country.

Barr. Ferdinand Ukwueze,

The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Enugu State, Hon. Barr. Ugo-Ferdinand Ukwueze, has fired back at Comrade Kennedy Iyere over his criticisms of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, urging him to focus on addressing fraud allegations against him rather than attacking the state government.

Ukwueze, in a statement on Monday, described Iyere’s recent comments against Governor Mbah as reckless and misleading, insisting that the governor remains committed to prudent management of Enugu State resources and ongoing development across the state.

Responding to a viral video in which Iyere criticised the governor and described his emergence as a mistake by the people of Enugu, the ALGON deputy chairman said such remarks were baseless and driven by personal motives.

He alleged that Iyere is currently under investigation over financial dealings running into over ₦113 million and should concentrate on clearing his name instead of launching public attacks.

According to him, individuals facing serious allegations should prioritise defending their integrity rather than engaging in what he called smear campaigns and inflammatory rhetoric.

Ukwueze also questioned Iyere’s political consistency, recalling that he had previously supported Mbah’s governorship bid and even urged other candidates to rally behind him after the election.

He further faulted claims that the governor lacked financial standing before the 2023 election, describing the assertion as false and malicious.

The ALGON deputy chairman maintained that Governor Mbah’s performance in office speaks for itself, citing ongoing investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, aviation, security and industrial revival across the state.

He listed projects such as road construction, smart schools, Type-2 hospitals, science schools, a proposed international hospital, Enugu Air initiative, CCTV-backed security systems and the revitalisation of state-owned enterprises as evidence of prudent resource management.

Ukwueze warned against the use of unverified claims and inflammatory language in public discourse, noting that leadership and activism must be guided by responsibility and facts.

He maintained that the governor’s development strides and fiscal discipline have earned him public approval and recognition from various organisations, stressing that the focus should remain on sustaining progress in Enugu State rather than political distractions.