The Labour Party (LP) has strongly rejected what it calls an audacious and unauthorized attempt by former Finance Minister, Senator Nenadi Usman, to negotiate a political deal on its behalf. The party accused Usman of attempting to “auction” LP’s platform to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, in what it labeled a political fraud.
In a fiery statement released by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the LP dismissed any claims of coalition talks, alliances, or mergers involving Usman, insisting that she has no standing within the party.
“It is both laughable and insulting for Nenadi Usman, a non-member, to position herself as a Labour Party negotiator. She has no mandate, no authority, and certainly no influence within our party,” Ifoh declared.
The LP further accused Usman, a former chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), of playing a double game by attending a Social Democratic Party (SDP) event where el-Rufai’s defection was announced while simultaneously posturing as a Labour Party representative.
The party also reminded Nigerians that Usman had previously lost legal battles in her attempt to unseat the LP leadership, calling her a “desperate political merchant” clinging to a defunct transitional chairman title.
“If Usman is interested in another party, she should formally defect rather than engage in political subterfuge using Labour Party’s name,” the statement warned.
With internal and external forces attempting to sway its direction, the Labour Party vowed to resist any attempts to trade its structure for political convenience, reaffirming its commitment to ideological integrity.
This latest development underscored the growing tensions within Nigeria’s opposition landscape, as parties maneuver ahead of the 2027 elections.