The Labour Party faction loyal to Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has forwarded a fresh 34-man list of its Interim National Working Committee to the Independent National Electoral Commission, a move that heightens the battle for control of the crisis-ridden party.

The list, signed by Interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, and Interim National Secretary, Darlington Nwokocha, was sent to INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, on Friday.

Among other things, the faction emphasised that the names “superseded” an earlier abridged list submitted in August and the ones recently submitted by Abure to the commission.

In the cover letter, the Usman-led leadership reminded the commission that the committee arose from the “statutory NEC resolutions of Friday 18th July, 2025” and was in line with the Labour Party constitution.

“We are pleased to forward herewith the names and designations of the reconstituted members of the Interim National Leadership in line with the LP constitution and the statutory NEC resolutions of July 18, 2025 already forwarded to the commission in the party’s correspondence and acknowledged by the commission on July 21, 2025,” Usman wrote.

She added that the NEC had empowered the interim leadership to “constitute the full body of the interim national leadership in accordance with Article 13 of the Labour Party constitution.”

The faction stressed that INEC should “take legal and official notice” of the forwarded names as the “legitimate and authentic Interim National Working Committee leadership of the Labour Party.”

Aside from Usman and Nwokocha, the 34-member list includes Deputy National Chairman (TUC) Mohammed Misau; Deputy National Chairman (Female) Mrs Nike Oriola and Deputy National Chairman (NLC), Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku.

Other members include Eragbe Anselem, Sarah Bago, Hajia Aishat Madije, Hamisu San Turaki, Ife Salako, Chinelo Oforche, Eric Ifere, Edwin Bafteng, Gloria George-Omunu, Joseph Ndirang, Aminu Kanya, Prof Austin Akubue, Mrs Martina Umana and Femi Kehinde, among others.

The submission of the list came barely 24 hours after another camp of the party, led by the National Chairman, Julius Abure, held a fresh NEC meeting in Abuja attended by INEC officials and former vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.

The meeting, convened as part of efforts to resolve the leadership tussle that erupted after the controversial 2024 national convention in Nnewi, reaffirmed Abure as national chairman—a position contested by Obi, Otti and other stakeholders, who in July, set up a rival caretaker committee headed by Usman.

The move deepened a leadership split that has dragged on for months, with both sides citing court orders and constitutional provisions to justify their claims.

Addressing journalists after Friday’s meeting, Abure explained that NEC members leaned heavily on the recent Supreme Court pronouncements affirming that the leadership and internal affairs of political parties were non-justiciable.

He said, “The NEC has the responsibility and power to manage the affairs of political parties between national conventions as well as to fill vacant positions. It is for this reason that we called this meeting so that we can do the needful, resolve all our crises, differences and strategically position the party for the 2027 election.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that there will be a beginning of the existence of the Labour Party. That we have come this far is a powerful statement that we have made. Whether we like it or not, the LP has become a reference point in the political firmament of Nigeria.” (PUNCH)