News Update
THE leadership tussle within the Labour Party, LP, took a new twist on Wednesday, with Lamidi Apapa asserting himself as the party’s National Chairman.
Apapa, who made the declaration at a press conference in Abuja, cited the April 4 Supreme Court judgment that nullified Julius Abure’s leadership as the reason for his emergence as LP’s National Chairman.
Apapa said: “Following the decision of the Supreme Court on setting aside all judgements that recognise the leadership of Julius Abure as National Chairman, I, ALH BASHIRU LAMIDI APAPA, the most senior deputy national, and in consonance with our party constitution, Article 14 2(a)(b), hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, Wednesday, the 9th day of April 2025, in an acting capacity, and Alh Farouk Umar Ibrahim as National Secretary.”
Supreme Court judgment on Abure
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment, had set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which recognised Abure as LP’s National Chairman.
It stressed that the matters relating to party leadership are internal affairs, over which the judiciary has no jurisdiction, adding that based on the submissions before it, Abure’s tenure had already expired.
Before the apex court’s ruling, LP’s National Executive Committee, NEC, had met in Abia State, during which Abure was removed.
The party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with former finance minister, Esther Nenadi Usman, a former senator as chairman and Darlington Nwokocha as secretary to fill the vacuum. This position has been re-affirmed by the group led by LP’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
Controversy trails Supreme Court judgement
The National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiorah Ifoh said the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment vindicated Abure-led leadership.
Ifoh maintained that the CTC never said the leadership of the Abure-led executive has elapsed or that Nenadi Usman and her National Caretaker Committee has been directed to take over the leadership of the party.
A statement by Ifoh said: “The leadership of the Labour Party ably led by Barrister Julius Abure has been vindicated by the content of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgement between Nenadi Usman and the Labour Party.
“As promised earlier, we warned that Senator Nenadi Usman and her cohorts have been in the voyage of misleading Nigerians with wrong interpretation of the judgement of the apex court. (Attached is a copy of the CTC).
“There is no where it stated that the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure led executive has elapsed or that Nenadi Usman and her National Caretaker Committee has been directed to take over the leadership of the Labour Party.
“The Supreme Court emphatically stated that issues within the political party are internal affairs of the party and that party supremacy must be observed.
“It is pertinent for us to state clearly that there is no vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party. The highest organ of the party, the national convention has in March 2024 elected its leaders in line with the constitution of the party and electoral act and their tenure is subsisting.
“Consequent upon that, any meeting convened in disregard to the constitution of the party is illegal and the outcome null and void. We are therefore warning all those involved in the illegal meeting holding in Abuja to refrain from further factionalising the party and respect the constitution of the party as we will not fail to activate the provision of the party on disciplinary actions.”
Speaking with Journalist, Ifoh also declared that there was no vacuum in LP’s leadership, adding that Apapa’s declaration was part of efforts to bring Abure’s leadership down.
According to Ifoh: “There is no vacuum within the LP whatsoever.
“There is a leadership that was elected in March 2024 for a tenure of four years and that tenure is just one year old, it will end in 2027; there is no vacuum whatsoever.
“I’m sure you know that a few months ago, some of our leaders visited Apapa in his house and nobody knows what transpired at that meeting.
“So probably, this is the outcome; all in an effort to pull Abure’s leadership down but we are watching.
“Let the people that are causing the faction come to the realization that factionalizing the party will not in any way benefit anybody, until they come to that realization and pull themselves back, then there will be peace.”
Battles shifts to INEC
Meanwhile, all eyes are now on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the three claimants to the LP National Chairman position seek its recognition.
After its NEC meeting in Abuja earlier in the week, Otti led LP leaders to the INEC headquarters and presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgement.
The delegation was received by INEC’s Acting Chairman, Mr. Sam Olumekun, and other National Commissioners.
MESSAGE us @ https://Wa.me/+2348072633727 for business relationship, Advert, PR, Publicity, Awareness, Interviews, Feature Stories, Press Release/Statement and so on…
Olumekun reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.
With that done, the Commission is expected to take a decision one way or the other after a review of the judgement.
YOU CAN READ MORE NEWS UPDATES AND INFO @ https://www.voiceairmedia.com