A Labour Party chieftain, Michael Ayuba Auta, has criticized the appointment of Senator Nenadi Usman as the national caretaker chairman of the party, deeming it unconstitutional and invalid.
Auta contended that Nenadi’s appointment was made without adequate consultation with key party stakeholders, particularly from Kaduna State, where the party achieved notable success in the recent elections with 294,494 votes.
Naija News recall that the Labour Party stakeholders’ meeting—chaired by the party’s presidential candidate from the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and convened by Abia State Governor Alex Otti—selected Nenadi Usman to lead the 29-member national caretaker committee responsible for overseeing state congresses and the national convention.
This decision has sparked controversy among party members across various states.
Speaking to journalists in Kaduna, Auta, who was the party’s senatorial candidate for Southern Kaduna in 2023, expressed dismay for the perceived preferential treatment of those who hindered the party’s success at the state and national levels. He criticized the sidelining of dedicated party members.
Auta argued that Nenadi’s appointment violates the party’s constitution, which outlines specific procedures for such appointments.
He has called on the party’s national leadership to reverse the decision and hold a stakeholders’ meeting to address grievances and discuss the party’s future.
Auta also challenged prominent party figures—including Nenadi, 2023 VP candidate Datti Baba Ahmed, National Secretary Umar Farouk, and Kaduna Governorship candidate Jonathan Asake—to a televised debate.
Auta stated, “As far as we are concerned, Nenadi is our sister, but we do not recognize her leadership because the meeting that appointed her did not follow due process. The party’s constitution is clear on how appointments should be made, and the recent appointment of Nenadi as acting chairman did not meet those requirements.
“Nenadi’s appointment is a clear violation of our party’s constitution. It’s a backdoor appointment that was made without consulting the relevant stakeholders who used their hard earned resources to sponsor the party and ensure that it becomes a force to be reckoned with in Kaduna state within a short period of time.
“Nenadi has never been committed to the growth of our party. She has always pursued her personal interests, even if it means working against the party. These are the people that scuttle the chances of His Excellency, Dr. Peter Obi and that of myself. Even though I won, the same people worked against me to steal my victory for the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) how on earth could this same dark horses be the same people entrusted with the affairs of Labour Party?
“We cannot trust Nenadi, not to talk of recognizing her leadership because it’s not legitimate. It is not only dangerous to have her as our leader but also fatal to the party which seemed to be getting skewed to be either an Igbo or the Christian party as it was wrongly suspected.
“With this short introduction, I hereby challenge the LP VP candidate 2023 elections Sen. Baba Datti Ahmed, Kaduna Governorship candidate, Jonathan Asake, Sen. Nenadi Usman, LP National Secretary Umar Farouk Mairakumi and Nitwick Alh. Audi Muhammad to a debate in any live reputable television stations to be sponsored by myself financially.
“There are many things that the public need to know about the aftermath of the 2023 general elections and I am ready to reveal them. The selection of Sen. Nenadi Usman is not acceptable and therefore it is null and void.”