- Parallel NEC extends olive branch to Abure’s NWC
- Otti’s faction passes vote of confidence in Nenadi Usman
- Obi dismisses any plans to leave party •Abure’s faction reacts, says he’s vindicated
- Another factional leader, Lamidi Apapa, lays claim to leadership
- NLC threatens to repossess party offices nationwide after Supreme Court judgment
The Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday sank deeper into crisis following the emergence of three claimants to the national chairmanship of the party.
While the camp loyal to Comrade Julius Abure claimed that he remained the national chairman, that of Governor Alex Otti also restated their resolute in its backing for a former Minister of Finance, Senator Ndidi Elumelu, just as Lamidi Apapa also reaffirmed his leadership of the party.
Each of the camps anchored their stance on the interpretations of the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the protracted power struggle within the opposition party.
It will be recalled that the court affirmed a set of decisions of the Court of Appeal, which had ruled that Abure was the party’s national chairman.
Governor Otti led a high-level delegation to the national headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)-owned Labour Party in Abuja on Wednesday to present the Supreme Court judgment to the members, claiming that it confirmed Elumelu as the authentic LP leadership.
But the camp of Abure swiftly countered the claim, insisting that the Supreme Court only validated Abure as the national chairman of the LP.
However, addressing a crowded conference in Abuja, a press conference where the Elumelu-led Labour Party leadership and the party’s House of Representatives Caucus grounded their arguments on the ruling of the court’s pronouncement.
This was contained in a statement signed by deputy national chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ladi Iliya, deputy national chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Oyo Olorunfemi, national secretary Ahuja, Omana Faduri, national Legal Adviser, Mr. Oyelekan Akingbade, national publicity secretary, Dr Abayomi Arabambi and the national treasurer, Mrs. Chudi Opara.
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The statement read in part, “Following the misdirected cross-appeal filed by the self-imposed factional Chairman Barr Julius Abure, as ably by the Supreme Court on the 27th of April 2023, which dismisses all total actions or decisions taken by Julius Abure since the 5th of April 2023, same are null and void.
“Our camp today, 2023 LP group moves from holding a parallel National Executive Committee meeting in the same location to passing a vote of confidence on the National Caretaker Committee led by former Minister of Finance, Senator Ndidi, to begin the process of rebuilding the Labour Party to a true choice in Nigeria.”
The Abure faction said they had a functioning and recognized National Working Committee.
The NLC- and NEC-led members commended the judiciary for landmark decisions on the matter, the national convention of the LP under its new leadership was now fixed for the 2027 polls.
The NEC meeting, held at the party’s Abuja headquarters, was attended by 2023 LP governorship candidate, Mr Peter Obi; Abia Governor, Dr. Alex Otti; and LP’s state-elected members of the National Assembly; some founding members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), private business leaders, and many stakeholders.
The meeting came barely two days after the takeover of the LP under the leadership of Abure, also concluded its NEC session at the Utako headquarters of the LP in Abuja.
Obi and Otti, in their separate speeches, extended the olive branch to the Abure group to team up with the NLC to rebuild the party.
“So, let’s rebuild from ward to national level to produce candidates for free and fair elections. We want fairness, justice to win. We need not go into the next election with all the best candidates. We want to reposition for all elective posts,” Obi told the session.
The former governor of Anambra State also dispelled rumours of his alleged plan to abandon where the party would become an appendage of another political party, noting that he was in open discussion to become involved through workings and arrangements by members of the party.
In this case, the Supreme Court has done the right thing. LP now, not individuals, should be the party of choice in this country,” he said. “However, this is the party of tomorrow, we must build it as a group. If LP is a mere party to work with another party, we will put our house as LP.”
On his part, Otti pledged that the current crisis rocking the party would not derail the stability of the LP.
“The rebuilding of our party has started, I will support the NLC to carry on through the process I congratulate everyone involved with a short period,” Otti added.
The Abure camp spoke separately, however, to reaffirm their position. Abure noted that much as the judgment took a strong position, he had not lost his legitimacy.
The LP provided a certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, which read: “The 13 issues submitted for determination are hereby found jointly resolved in favour of the Appellants.”
Olumakaiye reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Abure-led NWC, in a reaction, argued that the CTC actually vindicated them.
“As promised earlier, we are publishing the judgment. Neither Ndidi nor her cohorts have been in the workings of building Nigeria since the judgment of the apex court.”
The statement was signed by the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure-led NWC and released after reports that Nenadi Usman and others had been in the convention to take over the leadership of the Labour Party based on the ruling of the apex court.
They described the current development as the birth of a new LP with a broader identity.
She appealed: “It is time all sides sheathed their swords. All should set aside their grievances and work as one to build a party that can rescue Nigeria.”
A former chairman of the Labour Party, 28 led by Ajaero Labour Party, said he and the entire group met to discuss key developments within the party.
“Nigeria today is not a one-man clique, the government, or the party,” he noted.
Citing a copy of the Supreme Court judgment concerning the leadership of the party, stakeholders at the NEC said:
He noted that the meeting was aimed at fostering mutual understanding, unity, and institutional alignment regarding the LP’s current structure.
Citing the NWC’s acting Chairman, Mr. Samson Okunromu, and other national leaders, the Congress asked Abure “out of outright defiance of the court’s clear ruling” delivered on Friday, April 7, 2025.
Ayoade described the reaction as “a reckless assault, grabbing and nullification of the rule of law”, condemning what he termed the former chairman’s “crass disdain for decency and utmost disrespect to Nigeria’s laws.”
He argued that Abure’s continuous self-declaration as party leader, despite the court’s pronouncement, amounted to contempt and disrespect to the law.
The Congress alleged that Abure has like the LP planned to attack Labour Party offices.
“We will no longer condone such continuous recklessness and character impunity from Julius Abure,” the NLC members said, calling him unfit for leadership.
The NLC emphasized that the judgment of the Supreme Court should be fully obeyed, and so would want to see the deconstruction of the illicit transitional soul created.
They called on all genuine members of the Labour Party, workers, and labour-friendly advocates to pay close attention to the directives of the party faithful who are now pursuing a lawful transition.
The statement also called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent National Electoral Commission to obey the court and issue a certificate of compliance that will enable peaceful transition of the Labour Party leadership.
They warned that any failure to obey the apex court ruling will cost Nigeria its democracy and further embarrass the country globally as a “banana republic.”
