The national leadership of the Labour Party has issued a warning to Senator Nenadi Usman, urging her to refrain from engaging with opposition parties while falsely claiming to represent the party.
In response to Usman's recent initiative, which allegedly involved a collaboration with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, the Labour Party, through a statement from its national secretary, Obiora Ifoh, emphasized that Usman is not a registered member of the party. Consequently, any dealings conducted in the party's name are deemed unlawful.
The spokesperson for the Labour Party reiterated that the organization is not a commodity that can be easily acquired, reaffirming that there are currently no plans for any coalition.
THE STATEMENT READ:
On Tuesday, the leadership of the Labour Party observed with astonishment as Senator Nenadi Usman, a former finance minister and ex-member of the People’s Democratic Party, attempted to negotiate an alliance with the Labour Party alongside her mentor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, but was unsuccessful.
Prior to Usman's bold yet unsuccessful attempt on Tuesday, numerous desperate politicians had sought to engage with the Labour Party, all of which ended in failure. Additionally, another group has recently expressed interest in joining this transactional endeavor, claiming a sense of ownership over the Labour Party, which many view as the third force that Nigerians desire. It raises the question of why there is such interest in the Labour Party when other political parties exist in Nigeria.
We have consistently pointed out that the Labour Party is populated by numerous transactional politicians whose primary aim in joining is to seize control of the party. This situation has contributed to the crises experienced within the party over the past two years. We have repeatedly warned that the Labour Party is not a commodity for sale. It is perplexing that some individuals continue to pursue a futile endeavor with an outcome that is already predictable.
Senator Usman joined the Labour Party in 2022 as an unregistered member to support our Presidential candidate; however, her name remains absent from the party's official register. She lacks recognition within her Ward, Local Government, and State chapters of the party. It is only in Nigeria that some ambitious politicians can suddenly assert claims to positions without any legal backing.
The reasons behind her attempt to illegitimately assume the role of transitional chairman of the Labour Party are becoming increasingly clear. Additionally, the hidden forces that have supported and financed her covert agenda are beginning to emerge.
The leadership of the Labour Party has consistently stated that it is not engaged in discussions with any individual or group regarding coalitions, alliances, or mergers at this time. Therefore, it is absurd for Nenadi Usman, who is neither an executive member nor a card-carrying member of the Labour Party, to presume she can negotiate the sale of our party to her former mentor. For what price, one might wonder?
It is important for Nigerians to understand that Nenadi Usman has taken the party to court, seeking the removal of all party executives at the Ward, Local Government, State, and National levels, and she has lost in both the lower and appellate courts. At that time, she had been a non-card-carrying member of the party for less than two years. Currently, the six-month illegal mandate granted to her in Umuahia has expired, yet she continues to occupy a non-existent position.
In her media statement, she asserted that she was invited by a colleague in the SDP to witness El-Rufai’s defection. It is amusing to hear a supposed party leader claim that "they" welcomed El-Rufai into the opposition. Was this a CNPP event? It is quite ironic that a so-called party leader, who was "appointed" to implement reforms within the Labour Party, attended an SDP event alongside El-Rufai, engaging in actions detrimental to the party while claiming to have been invited by the leadership of another political organization.
Why were the chairpersons of the other opposition political parties not invited? This response from Senator Nenadi Usman is both superficial and regrettable. Her intentions have now been laid bare, and we call upon her to cease her duplicity.
Furthermore, we wish to assert clearly that we do not oppose any individual’s decision to leave or join a political party of their choice, as long as they relinquish their mandate if elected under a specific party's banner. Therefore, if Nenadi Usman wishes to align herself with another political party, she is entitled to do so; however, engaging with the Labour Party is unequivocally unlawful and must be opposed.
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