*Abure Faction Kicks
*Apapa Lays Claim To Chairmanship
A DELEGATION of the Labour Party (LP), led by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on Wednesday, April 9, visited the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja to submit a copy of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership.
Otti, who presented a CTC of the judgment to INEC’s Acting Chairman, Mr. Sam Olumekun, stressed the need for clarity and alignment between the party and the electoral body.
Olumekun, who received the team, restated INEC’s commitment to neutrality, transparency and upholding the rule of law as regards ppolitical parties and their leadership.
The visit followed passed a vote of confidence in the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), led by a former minister of Finance, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman, by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) and stakeholders, earlier in the day, to begin process of rebuilding the party .
The NCC was mandated to immediately begin plans to conduct ward, local government, state, zonal congresses and national convention, where new leaders would emerge to lead the party to the 2027 elections.
The NEC meeting, held at Transcorps, Abuja, was attended by Otti; its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi; his running mate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed; senators and members of the House of Representatives; representative of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero; various caucus leaders and stakeholders, was convened by the Usman-led NCC.
This came about two days after the faction led by the oustered national chairman, Mr. Julius Abure, concluded its own NEC at the party’s Utako, Abuja, headquarters.
Obi and Otti extended the olive branch to the Abure faction to team up with the NCC to rebuild the party.
Obi stated: “Let’s rebuild from ward to national level to produce leaders. Everyone is free to participate to ensure fairness, and justice to all.
“We want to go into the next election with the best candidates for all elective positions. We want to correct mistakes we made in the past.”
He dismissed rumours of his alleged plan to defect from the LP, saying when a discussion to work with another group becomes necessary, it has to be jointly taken by all members of the party.
He explained: “In this case, the Supreme Court has done the right thing. LP won, not individuals. LP should be the party of choice in this country today. However, this is the party of tomorrow.
“Let me assure you, we are LP. If we are going to discuss with another party, we will start from our house as LP.”
Otti noted: “The rebuilding of our party starts today. I will support the NCC any way I can to conclude the process of the congresses and convention within a short period.
“I sat with Abure last year and offered him BoT chairman. I told him that if I were you, I would not want you to lead people who don’t want you to lead them.
“We are still extending the olive branch to him and the former NWC.”
He said though Abure might not like the judgment, but he had no option than to obey it, quoting from the CTC, which said “The three (3) issues submitted for determination are hereby jointly
resolved in favour of the Appellants.
“In summary, both the trial court and the court below had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit of this 1st Respondent, whose main relief, as they both rightly observed, was inserted as relief number five (5) as though it was an appendage.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial court and the court below recognising Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st Respondent are hereby set aside and suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction.
“In the same vein, the 1st Respondent’s cross-appeal in Appeal No.SC/CV/56Aj2025, being an offshoot of the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed.”
The Usman described the development as the birth of a “new LP with a breath of fresh air,” adding: “It is time for all to sheathe their swords. All should set aside their grievances, so that we can team up to build a party for all of Nigeria.
“The time to build a vibrant opposition is now. Nigeria deserves good leadership as we push for a people-friendly LP.”
The NEC resolved to visit INEC to formally present the CTC of the judgment and to begin the process of conducting congresses and the national convention of the party.
Meanwhile, the Abure-led NWC, in a reaction, argued that the CTC actually vindicated him.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, in a statement on Wednesday, said: “As promised earlier, we warned that Usman and her cohorts have been on the voyage of misleading Nigerians with wrong interpretation of the judgment of the apex court.
“There is nowhere it stated that the leadership of Abure-led executive has elapsed or that Usman and her National Caretaker Committee have 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, had in March 2024 elected its leaders in line with the constitution of the party and the Electoral Act and their tenure is subsisting.”
Describing the NEC called by the Usman-led NCC as “illegal,” Ifoh warned against factionalising the party, as that could attract “disciplinary actions.”
Adding to the drama, another LP member, Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, the same day, declared that he had assumed leadership of the party following the apex court judgment.
Addressing some journalists in Abuja shortly after the Usman-led NCC/NEC/stakeolders meeting, Apapa said the apex court, having set aside the Abura leadership, he, being the most senior deputy national chairman, had taken over the leadership.
He stated: “Following the dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the ousted former national chairman, Julius Abure, also by the Supreme Court on 4th April, 2025, what this means is that all actions and decisions taken by Abure since 4th April 2023 are null and void.
“Following the decision of the Supreme Court in setting aside all judgments that recognise the leadership of 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 takes 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.
“My leadership hereby calls on all members of the Labour Party that the National Working Committee of our party as of 2022 will meet next week, Monday, 14th April 2025, announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of national chairman to the North and national secretary to the South.”
He assured that his leadership would reposition the party by making a viable opposition within the shortest time.
Earlier, there was jubilation among party members and supporters of the Usman-led NCC following the release of the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment.
