Nenadi Usman, the acting chairman of the Labour Party, has warned aspirants against purchasing nomination forms from the rival faction led by Julius Abure, ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ken Asogwa, Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in response to photos circulating on social media showing Mr Abure handing over nomination forms to an aspirant in Abia State. 

He noted that aspirants who obtained their nomination forms from the “serial political scammer” and other sources outside the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, received only a “worthless paper” from “desperate political scam artists masquerading as party officials.”

He said, “The leadership of the Labour Party has been inundated with enquiries from party members, supporters and aspirants across the country following the circulation on social media of pictures showing Julius Abure presenting what he described as ‘nomination forms’ to certain individuals in Abia State.

“Ordinarily, the party had resolved to ignore the embarrassing spectacle, knowing fully well that dignifying such comic desperation with a response would only amplify the absurdity. However, in view of the widespread concern and requests for clarification from members of the public, this statement has become necessary.

“Let it be stated clearly and unequivocally that Senator Nenadi Usman is the National Chairman of the Labour Party, and all legitimate nomination forms for every elective position ahead of the 2027 general elections can only be obtained through the official national secretariat of the party located in Utako, Abuja.

“Consequently, any so-called Labour Party nomination form obtained from Julius Abure or any other unauthorised source is nothing but worthless paper being peddled by political fraudsters seeking to deceive unsuspecting persons. The general public is therefore advised to be vigilant and avoid falling prey to the antics of desperate political scam artists masquerading as party officials.”

Mr Asogwa questioned why Mr Abure’s alleged sales activities were limited to Abia State, insisting he was mistaken if he expected the party’s national leader, Governor Alex Otti, to yield to what she described as cheap blackmail, intimidation, or street-corner political theatrics. 

“Abure’s continued impersonation of the office of the party’s national chairman remains a criminal offence of serious legal consequence that has reached an intolerable height. As a lawyer, he should know better. The net is steadily tightening around him and, sooner than later, he will be left to answer for his actions before law enforcement authorities and the courts,” she said.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, had on January 21, upheld the judgement of the Supreme Court that ousted Mr Abure as the party’s national chairman, and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Mrs Usman as the only authentic leader of the party.

In a bid to overturn the judgement, Mr Abure approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal in suit No. CA/ABJ/CV/255/2026, but on April 21, 2026, a three-member panel of justices, Oyejoju Oyewumi, A. B. Mohammed and Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed his appeal and upheld Justice Lifu’s judgement.

However, Mr Abure rejected the Court of Appeal’s judgement, describing it as contrary to established legal principles, and said he had instructed his legal team to approach the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling.