A faction of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State, led by Callistus Ihejiagwa, has cautioned members against participating in any party activities not approved by its leadership.
The warning follows what the faction described as plans by another group, led by Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha, to conduct Ward, Local Government, and State congresses starting March 26, 2026.
Speaking through the state chairman, Ihejiagwa said the clarification became necessary to protect the party’s legal structure and democratic processes.
He claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a letter dated February 16, 2026, declined to approve the alleged dissolution of existing executive committees at the state, local government, and ward levels.
According to him, since INEC did not invalidate the congresses earlier conducted by his faction, any fresh moves to organize new congresses or meetings lack legal backing.
“We are aware of the claim that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commissionz INEC, attended the purported National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of 17th March, 2026, and that such presence validates the said meeting and its decisions.
“This argument is legally misconceived.
INEC’s role is that of a regulator and observer, not a validator of illegality.
“The presence of INEC officials at any gathering does not confer legality, authority or constitutional validity on such meeting.
“The validity of any NEC meeting depends on strict compliance with the Constitution of the Party and the Electoral Act, including, proper statutory notice, lawful authority to convene, and the existence of quorum,” he added.
Ihejiagwa maintained that where such conditions are not met, any decisions taken at such meetings remain null and void, regardless of INEC’s attendance.
On the planned congresses, he argued that the process is fundamentally flawed, particularly due to failure to meet the required 21-day statutory notice stipulated by the Electoral Act.
“Going by her purported NEC meeting of 17th March, 2026, the scheduling of congresses to commence on 26th March, 2026 falls short of the 21 days mandatory statutory notice period required under the Electoral Act.
“The law mandates that a political party must transmit its membership register both hard and soft copies to INEC before conducting congresses.
“There is no record whatsoever that Sen. Nenadi Usman or her group has complied with this mandatory requirement.
“This raises a fundamental question.
“On what membership register are these purported congresses to be conducted?
“The Electoral Act made it abundantly clear that failure to comply with this provision renders the entire exercise null and void,” he argued.
He further insisted that the current state, local government, and ward executives elected during INEC-monitored congresses held on December 2, 4, and 6, 2025, remain valid.
“So long as the tenure of these duly elected executives has not expired and has not been lawfully terminated through due process in accordance with the Constitution of the Party or set aside by a specific and express order of Court of competent jurisdiction, there exists no vacancy whatsoever to justify the conduct of fresh congresses.
“Nenadi Usman and her cohorts should be made to understand that they cannot validly conduct congresses to replace structures that are still subsisting and have not been lawfully removed.
“Any attempt to do so amounts to an unlawful effort to subvert and torpedo existing democratic structures through the back door, and cannot stand in law,” he said.
 in Imo State, led by Callistus Ihejiagwa, has cautioned members against participating in any party activities not approved by its leadership.){kind=link}