STATEMENT FROM THE LABOUR PARTY
For the past one year, there has been all manner of threats by some disgruntled elements in the Labour Party to picket, invade and occupy the National Secretariat of the Labour in Utako, the Federal Capital Territory. These threats were coming either from the Abia state government, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the self styled Labour Party Stakeholders, the faceless Board of Trustees and recently, the illegal Interim National Working Committee. On several occasions, they have actually made good their threats by breaking into the Secretariat but were met with stiff resistance.
However, the latest invasion was carried out at around 1am early on Tuesday February 10, when some hoodlums according to security personnel at the Secretariat scaled into the party compound to pull down party’s billboards and replaced them with that of the Nenadi Usman. By the dawn of the day, we also noticed the unfortunate role played by the men of the Nigeria Police Force.
To our chagrin, police officers from Area Command, Life Camp barricaded the entrance gate and prevented our National Chairman, National Secretary and some other National Officers from entering their offices. The police officers however were permitting the persons from a list in their possession who the police officers insisted were the only persons permitted to access their offices, including the Abia state deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu and Senator Nenadi Usman, amongst others. Senator Nenadi Usman also addressed a press conference with the police protection.
Upon our audience with the Commissioner of Police, FCT on the said Tuesday, we were directed to meet the Area Commander, Life Camp. The Area Commander assured us that the situation will be reversed as the Police must maintain professionalism and neutrality in internal affairs of Political Parties. Based on that understanding, we went ahead to reclaim our Secretariat.
We are however dismayed to find a larger contingent of police officers on Wednesday 11th February, 2026 who barricaded the premises but permitted certain individuals from a faction to enter to hoist the banners of a so-called Caretaker Chairman in the premises.
It is not in doubt that there is a certain group calling themselves the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Nenadi Esther Usman who invaded the office on Tuesday 10th February, 2026 and are bent on causing a breakdown of law and order. But we had expected that if the office was going to be sealed off temporarily, no group should be allowed access so as not to create the impression of bias on the side of the police.
This police action complained about is still ongoing in the premises as they provided security for Nenadi Usman to also address a press conference again on Thursday. We were compelled to petition the Inspector General of Police on the absurdity of the police FCT command’s role in unlawfully taking side with Senator Usman, while resisting the leadership of the party as led by Barrister Julius Abure and his executive from gaining access into their offices.
We implore the IGP to use his good offices in directing that the police officers maintain professionalism and neutrality in their current intervention at the Labour Party National Headquarters.
Arising from Nenadi Usman’s press briefing on Thursday where she made attempts to twist the narratives by alleging that Barrister Abure broke into the Labour Party office and removed files, and that hoodlums were arrested in the party Secretariat, we find that statement not only laughable but very disgusting. How can she say that their office was invaded when indeed, the office still belongs to Abure led executive.
On the allegations that hoodlums were arrested in the party office, we need to make it categorically clear that there were no hoodlums in the office. We challenge the police to produce the hoodlums that were alleged to have been arrested in the party office. For the purpose of clarity, we need to make it abundantly clear that police only arrested three persons in the office, one of whom is the FCT state Secretary of the party who lives in the premises and two other boys brewing Kunu drinks for their daily living in the office. These were the boys the police arrested but the Nenadi Usman and her cohorts are using it to disinform the public to imply that hoodlums were arrested in the office.
On the 25th of January, we had written a petition to the Police when we got a hint that she was coming to invade the office. They indeed actualized their threat, broke into the office, cart away properties and files. It is clear that Nenadi illegally carried out enforcement with the help of the police. We have also watched with keen interest the misleading information they are pushing out all these while and it is unfortunate that those who feel that they want to lead this nation think that they can lead with blackmail.
It is alleged that Nenadi procured judgement at the lower court but we have since stayed the execution of the judgement. We have also filed our appeal and they have been served via publication because they evaded service and the process of appeal is going to take its course.
Ordinarily when there is a motion for stay of execution and there is a pending appeal, all parties are supposed to maintain status quo. They were not supposed to come to the office in the first instance without an explicit order of the court which is the proper way of enforcing judgement. By the Sheriff and Civil Process Act, there are procedures for enforcement of judgement. What they did was self help by coming to say that they are taking over our office when there was no court order to enter the office.
How can any reasonable person be talking about breaking in. Do you break into what you already have? The documents in that office are ours not theirs. They are impostors and usurpers.
Finally, we also have it on good authority that there are plans to arrest some of our national officers, including our national chairman for daring to stand up against the impunity of a South East governor. As we await the arrest, we call on all lovers of democracy to stand up and protect this democracy that we all fought for. There is a limit to how long this impunity can last.
We are also calling on our party faithfuls to remain calm as the party leadership is doing everything within the law to ensure that justice is achieved for the party.
Sign:
Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi
Deputy National Chairmanship
Labour Party
13/02/2026
