Labour Party Petitions IGP, DSS Over Abure’s ‘Fake’ Nomination Forms

The Labour Party has formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services over the alleged unauthorised circulation of nomination forms linked to former national chairman Julius Abure, describing the development as misleading to aspirants and damaging to the party’s structure.

National chairman Senator Nenadi Usman disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja after the party’s screening exercise, according to a report by Leadership Newspapers. She stated that the names currently on the Independent National Electoral Commission website are those elected at the party’s convention in Umuahia, where a new leadership emerged with INEC in attendance.

“The party has since petitioned the inspector-general of police and the Department of State Services over the circulation of unauthorised nomination forms. INEC was also copied,” Usman was quoted as saying.

She said the Supreme Court had affirmed that Abure’s tenure had expired, describing his distribution of free forms as illegal and a violation of the party’s internal processes. Usman warned aspirants not to fall for fake forms, recounting an incident where a man showed her a form his wife had bought that was not issued by the recognised party leadership.

“We started on Monday, and I’m happy that it has been a wonderful exercise. The interest shown by aspirants across the country proves that the party remains formidable ahead of future elections. The party remains strong despite the dispute,” she added.

Usman confirmed that three aspirants had purchased forms for the presidential ticket and that the party had agreed that its next candidate should come from Southern Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the party has rescheduled all its 2027 primaries to Saturday, 30 May 2026. National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, said the adjustment was necessary because the earlier dates clashed with the 2026 Eid el-Kabir celebration on 27 May and the third anniversary of the inauguration of elected public office holders on 29 May.

After the screening, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said Abia State was prepared to sweep all elections in 2027, crediting Governor Alex Otti’s performance. Also screened were Alex Ikwechegh, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, and Ibe Okwara Osonwa, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on FCT/Judiciary, who defended the party’s use of consensus arrangements to maintain unity.

The party said the petitions to security agencies aimed to stop the unauthorised sale of forms and protect aspirants from being defrauded.