The Labour Party faction aligned with Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former presidential candidate Peter Obi has submitted a new 34-member Interim National Working Committee list to the Independent National Electoral Commission, intensifying the struggle for control of the divided party.
The updated list, endorsed by Interim National Chairman Nenadi Usman and Interim National Secretary Darlington Nwokocha, was transmitted on Friday to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
According to the faction, the names override both the abridged list forwarded in August and the fresh submission recently made to the commission by Julius Abure.
In the accompanying letter, Usman reminded INEC that the committee emerged from the “statutory NEC resolutions of Friday, 18th July 2025,” and was constituted strictly in line with the Labour Party constitution.
“We are pleased to forward herewith the names and designations of the reconstituted members of the Interim National Leadership,” she wrote, adding that the NEC had authorised the interim leaders to “constitute the full body” of the committee in accordance with Article 13 of the party constitution.
The faction urged INEC to recognise the submitted list as the “legitimate and authentic Interim National Working Committee leadership of the Labour Party.”
Those listed include Deputy National Chairman (TUC), Mohammed Misau; Deputy National Chairman (Female), Mrs. Nike Oriola; and Deputy National Chairman (NLC), Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku.
Also named were Eragbe Anselem, Sarah Bago, Hajia Aishat Madije, Hamisu San Turaki, Ife Salako, Chinelo Oforche, Eric Ifere, Edwin Bafteng, Gloria George-Omunu, Joseph Ndirang, Aminu Kanya, Prof. Austin Akubue, Mrs. Martina Umana, Femi Kehinde and several others.
The submission came barely a day after the faction led by National Chairman Julius Abure held a separate NEC meeting in Abuja, attended by INEC officials and the party’s former vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
The meeting—part of ongoing efforts to resolve the leadership crisis that followed the disputed 2024 national convention in Nnewi—reaffirmed Abure as national chairman.
That decision is contested by Obi, Otti and their allies, who set up a parallel caretaker committee in July led by Usman.
The leadership dispute has lingered for months, with both sides repeatedly citing court rulings and constitutional provisions to validate their claims.
Speaking after Friday’s meeting, Abure pointed to recent Supreme Court pronouncements that internal party leadership issues are not subject to judicial intervention.
He emphasised that the NEC holds the authority to administer party affairs between national conventions and to fill vacant positions.
“It is for this reason that we called this meeting, so that we can do the needful, resolve all our crises, differences and strategically position the party for the 2027 election,” he said.
Abure insisted that the Labour Party had demonstrated resilience despite its internal challenges.
“Whether we like it or not, the LP has become a reference point in the political firmament of Nigeria,” he added.
