Nenadi Usman Elected Labour Party National Chairman

Nenadi Esther Usman, a former Nigerian Finance Minister and senator, was elected National Chairman of the Labour Party on Tuesday at the party's 2026 elective national convention in Umuahia, Abia State. Her selection through consensus marks her transition from caretaker leader to substantive head and makes her the first woman to lead a major political party in Nigeria.

The convention followed a period of internal leadership disputes that began in September 2024, when Usman's National Caretaker Committee was appointed at a National Executive Council meeting in Umuahia to fill a vacuum after the previous National Working Committee's tenure expired. Her faction prevailed after court rulings, including a Federal High Court judgment on January 21, 2026, affirming her leadership, and a unanimous Court of Appeal decision on April 21, 2026. The Independent National Electoral Commission recognized her committee shortly after the high court ruling, paving the way for the election.

All members of the new National Working Committee emerged via consensus, a process aimed at fostering unity among stakeholders from across the country. Elected alongside Usman were Iheanacho Obioma, a former...