By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

Sen. Nenadi Usman has emerged the National Chairman of Labour Party.

Usman, the immediate past Interim National Chairman of Labour Party, was elected through consensus, at the party’s 2026 Elective National Convention held in Umuahia on Tuesday.

In her remarks, the new national chairman extended an olive branch to aggrieved members, calling for reconciliation and unity after months of internal disputes in the party.

“Despite these challenges, we hold no grudges. We have extended the hands of fellowship to all because the party remains supreme.

“Leaders will come and go but Labour Party must endure,” she said.

Usman acknowledged that the party had faced leadership tussles and legal battles over the past 19 months, emphasising, however, that the crises had strengthened its resolve.

“Our journey has not been without challenges; from leadership disputes to legal battles; we remained steadfast.

“The Supreme Court and judgments judgments had affirmed our leadership, and INEC’s recognition further strengthened our legitimacy,” she said.

Usman urged delegates to focus on the party’s future as they elect new leaders, stressing that unity was critical to its electoral success.

The former Interim National Secretary of the party, Sen. Darlington Nwokocha, said that the transitional LP leadership stabilised the party and positioned it for future electoral success.

Nwokocha said that the party had successfully overcome a prolonged leadership and constitutional crisis that had threatened its unity and operations.

He noted that the constitution of the interim national working committee in September 2024 helped to fill the leadership vacuum and restore order within the party.

Nwokocha added that the committee brought together key stakeholders and repositioned the party for effective governance.

He also highlighted judicial victories recorded by the party, including favourable rulings by the Supreme Court in April 2025, as well as subsequent decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in April 2026.

He said that the rulings restored legality, legitimacy and institutional authority to the party’s structures.

According to him, the party has rebuilt its structures across the country and strengthened its internal processes in line with its constitution.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Chief Ginger Onwusibe, called for unity, transparency and a sense of responsibility among delegates at the party’s national convention.

Onwusibe said that the convention was a critical moment for strengthening internal democracy and repositioning the party for greater national relevance.

He noted that the processes leading to the convention were deliberate and structured, including the successful conduct of ward, local government and state congresses across the country.

In his remarks, the President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Festus Osifo, said that the convention marked a defining moment for both the party and Nigeria’s broader struggle for social and economic justice.

Osifo, represented by Dr Nuhu Toro, highlighted the harsh realities facing Nigerian workers, including rising inflation and declining purchasing power, calling for a disciplined and ideologically-driven political platform.

Similarly, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero, described the gathering as a critical point in the fight for economic liberation.

Ajaero, represented by Mr Stephen Okoro, stressed that the party was built on the sacrifices of ordinary Nigerians and must not be reduced to an elite platform.

While acknowledging internal challenges, he, however, urged party members to remain steadfast, noting that success in the 2027 general elections would depend on organisation, mobilisation and voter education.

Also speaking, the acting Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Mr Lawson Osagie, called on incoming leaders to prioritise unity and institutional stability.

Osagie, who described the event as a milestone in his two decades in the party, urged the new leadership to “put the house in order” and build a cohesive structure capable of sustaining long-term progress. (NAN)