LP Crisis: Nenadi Usman demands arrest of acting INEC Chairman over alleged collusion with Abure

The Labour Party (LP) faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman has called for the immediate arrest of the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, accusing her of criminal collusion with the party’s former National Chairman, Julius Abure.

Usman made the demand in a statement titled “INEC’s Acting Chair in Criminal Collusion with Julius Abure Over Fake Court Order – She Must Be Arrested”, issued in Abuja on Thursday by her spokesman, Ken Asogwa.

According to the statement, the Usman-led faction alleged that Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu, in connivance with Mr. Abure, had orchestrated what it described as “a brazen assault on democracy” by relying on a fake court order to recognise Abure as LP Chairman.

Asogwa faulted the Acting INEC Chairman’s decision to invite Abure to last Tuesday’s meeting with leaders of the 18 registered political parties, despite what he described as a subsisting Supreme Court judgement recognising Senator Usman as the authentic leader of the Labour Party.

He said, “In her defence, she stated that INEC was merely obeying a court order, claiming that if the faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman presented a valid judgement in their favour, the Commission would comply accordingly.

“However, our independent and painstaking investigation has revealed that no such court order exists.

“While it is true that Mr Abure filed a suit against INEC in Suit No: CV/1914/2025 before Hon. Justice Kayode Agunloye of Court 40, FCT High Court, Gwagwalada, our formal request for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of any order purportedly recognising him as Chairman was met with a categorical confirmation from the court that no such order was ever granted.”

The party therefore challenged Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu to produce what it called “the so-called court order” she relied upon to recognise Abure.

“The truth,” Asogwa continued, “is that INEC’s acting leadership has wilfully relied on a fabricated and non-existent order to justify an illegal and politically motivated act.

“Although it would have still been null and void even if such an order existed, especially in the face of the Supreme Court’s unambiguous judgement of 4th April 2025, which conclusively upheld Senator Nenadi Usman’s leadership of the Labour Party.”

The statement further urged LP members nationwide to remain calm but prepare for a peaceful demonstration. It also called on the incoming INEC Chairman to investigate what it described as “an injustice” and to cleanse the Commission of officials who allegedly collude with politicians to subvert justice.