Former Labour Party (LP) Caretaker Committee Chairperson, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, proceeded with the party's elective national convention in Umuahia, Abia State, on Tuesday, April 28, despite a pending court suit seeking to halt the exercise. Usman was subsequently elected as the party's substantive national chairman through a consensus arrangement.
Court Declines Injunction to Stop Convention
Just 24 hours before the convention, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano was approached by two senior Labour Party members, Mohammed Abdullahi Raji, Chairman of the Labour Party in Kano State, and Abdulrahim Imam Chindo, Chairman of the party in Sokoto State. They filed an urgent ex parte motion seeking to stop the exercise. The case, filed at the Kano Judicial Division of the Federal High Court as Suit No. FHC/KN/CS/211/2026, was heard on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, before Justice S. M. Shuaibu. The applicants sought an interim injunction restraining Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, the Labour Party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from convening, organizing, or holding the proposed national convention. However, Justice Shuaibu declined to grant the injunction immediately, ordering that the motion be served on the respondents and adjourning the matter to May 4, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.
Convention Proceeds Despite Pending Litigation
Despite the pending suit and adjournment, the convention proceeded in Umuahia under the theme "Labour Party Rising: United for Victory." Senator Nenadi Usman emerged as the party's substantive national chairman through a consensus arrangement alongside a new National Working Committee. The move is expected to deepen existing divisions within the Labour Party, which has faced ongoing leadership crises and internal disputes since the 2023 general elections. The Kano suit, which names Usman, Nwokocha, the Labour Party, and INEC as respondents, could trigger further legal challenges aimed at questioning the legitimacy of the convention's outcome.
Governor Alex Otti Commends Credible Convention
At the convention, Governor Alex Otti commended the Chairman of the National Congress and Convention Committee, Ginger Onwusibe, and the Secretary, Salisu Muhammad, for conducting a credible national convention. He described Senator Nenadi Usman as a woman of integrity and congratulated her and other newly elected members of the National Working Committee. Otti urged them to prepare for the tasks ahead, saying: "I'm happy that we elected people who understand what is expected of them and parts of Nigeria were represented. Reconciliation and integration of all members of the party is another task before you; ensure that nobody is left behind. Go on a reconciliation drive, sit down and make our people know that they are recognised. This is a game of numbers; we need as many people as possible. Very soon, the primary election will be conducted. It's also part of your job to ensure that we have a rancour-free primary before the campaign and election, but I know you are capable of delivering."
Lingering Labour Party Crisis
The Labour Party has been embroiled in internal conflicts since its rise to national prominence in 2023, when its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, secured millions of votes in a closely contested election. The aftermath triggered a power struggle between Obi's loyalists, the party's old guard, and various regional blocs, a rift that has remained unresolved. The emergence of a caretaker committee and the recent elective convention held under legal challenge mark the latest phase in the ongoing crisis. The party's leadership disputes have already produced multiple court injunctions, conflicting directives, and public disagreements that have dented its image among supporters who once viewed it as a strong alternative to the two dominant political parties. With the Kano Federal High Court set to hear the substantive motion on May 4 and a new National Working Committee already inaugurated, the battle for the control and direction of the Labour Party remains far from settled.
