The Julius Abure led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has accused Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu and the party’s Interim National Working Committee led by Nenadi Usman of forcefully breaking into and occupying the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

Mr Abure-led faction alleged that the invasion took place on Tuesday when suspected hoodlums, accompanied by security operatives, stormed the secretariat around 1am, pulled down existing party billboards and replaced them with banners bearing the name of Ms Usman. 

The accusation came barely a few hours after Ms Usman officially assumed office as the interim National Chairman of the LP.

Speaking after assuming office at the National Headquarters of the LP in Abuja, Ms Usman said that the development marked an important day in the history of the opposition LP, stressing that what the stakeholders thought would be a smooth sail ended up as a prolonged court battle.

She also denied rumours of internal wrangling between her leadership and the labour unions including the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress. 

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party claimed that the operation was carried out with the support of heavy presence of policemen, who allegedly barred party staff and officers from gaining access to the premises.

According to the statement, only individuals aligned with Ms Usman-led interim leadership were allowed into the secretariat, while party officials who arrived later in the morning were prevented from entering.

It stated, “The Abure led leadership is dumbfounded by the invasion of its secretariat by Nenadi camp aided by police in the early hours of Tuesday. Accompanied by the Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, Senator Nenadi ordered his hoodlums to break into all the offices, and carted files and other materials alongside. 

“When some of our senior officials came to office in the morning, we were prevented by the police. We refused to confront them to avoid clashes and confrontations, choosing peaceful approach.”

The party further alleged that Ms Usman, accompanied by Mr Emetu, ordered hoodlums to break into offices within the secretariat and carted away files and other sensitive materials.

Acknowledging that a Federal High Court, Federal Capital Territory Division, earlier delivered a judgment recognising Ms Usman as the interim chairman of the party, it noted that the judgment had been appealed and that a “stay of execution” obtained.

The Abure-led faction further described the alleged invasion as an act of self-help, insisting that it was unlawful for any group to enforce a disputed court judgment through force.

It called on the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Service, the Office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant agencies to investigate the incident and restore order.

“We are by this statement calling on the Police, Department of State Security, office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant agencies to take note of the unlawful invasion of our party secretariat. If this anomaly is not checked, it is a pointer that our democracy and its institutions are being threatened,” the party added. 

The party, however, called on its members and supporters across the country to remain calm and vigilant, assuring them that the leadership was pursuing legal means to resolve the matter.

Recall that an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had affirmed the removal of Julius Abure as National Chairman of the party and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the leader of the opposition party.