Labour Party Group Reacts to Fraud Allegations Against Party Caretaker Committee Chair Nenadi Usman

Members of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s South-South region have dismissed recent fraud allegations made against former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, calling them defamatory and unfounded. The LP group, under the Core Social Democrats platform, has come out in defense of Usman, asserting her long-standing commitment to law and the party.

The group’s leader, Eric Ifere, released a statement rejecting a recent report that claimed Usman was facing prosecution over financial fraud charges. The report alleged that Usman had returned ₦140 million out of ₦2.5 billion allegedly received from the office of the former National Security Adviser during the 2015 presidential election. The same report also claimed that Usman surrendered two properties to the federal government as a condition for her release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In response, Ifere stated that these allegations were not only malicious but also legally inaccurate. He emphasized that the charges against Usman were quashed by the Court of Appeal in Lagos, presided over by Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi, on 20th April 2023. According to Ifere, the online publication had no evidence to support its claims of financial impropriety or the alleged surrender of properties by Usman.

“The publication on 6th September 2024 was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of Senator Usman,” the statement read. “There is no truth to the claims, and the Court of Appeal has already cleared her of all charges.”

Usman was recently appointed to chair the LP’s 29-member Caretaker Committee during an extended stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, Abia State, on 4th September. The committee has been tasked with resolving the party’s leadership crisis and organizing a convention to elect a new leader within 90 days.

The group has called on the news platform to retract the report and issue a public apology, warning that legal action may follow if the demands are not met. The Core Social Democrats reaffirmed their commitment to upholding justice and fairness, urging the media to act responsibly in its reporting.

The former minister’s supporters see these allegations as an unjust attack on her character and a distraction from her duties in the Labour Party.