Labour Party Crisis Gets Messier as Lamidi Apapa takes over following Supreme Court judgement against Abure
……..Obi, Datti, Otti attend NEC meeting by Usman-led caretaker committee
…CTC affirmed Usman’s leadership – Gov Otti
The Labour Party leadership crisis took a new dimension as one of the party leaders, Lamidi Apapa took over the party’s leadership following the Supreme Court judgement sacking Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
In its recent judgement, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had recognised Abure as the party’s national chairman.
But on Wednesday, Apapa declared himself the leader of the party at a press conference, citing the apex court’s recent judgement as his reason for taking over.
Apapa said all the court’s pronouncements had nullified all actions and decisions taken by Abure since April 2023.
In a statement signed by Deputy National Chairman NLC Mr Ladi Iliya, Deputy National Chairman TUC Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, National Secretary Alh Umar Farouq Ibrahim, National Legal Adviser Bar Oyelekan Akingbade, National Publicity Secretary Dr Abayomi Arabambi and National Treasurer Mrs Oluchi Opara, Apapa said the party’s National Working Committee as of 2022 will meet next Monday, 14th April 2025.
The statement read, “Following the dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the ousted former National Chairman Bar Julius Abure, also by the Supreme Court on 4th April 2025, what this means is that all actions and decisions taken by Julius Abure since 4th April 2023, are null and void.
“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,” he stated.
“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, to announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South.”
Apapa vowed that his leadership would take proactive steps to resuscitate the party’s moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional.
In another development, the Labour Party (LP) has held its national executive council (NEC) meeting in Abuja following ongoing controversy over the supreme court judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.
The meeting, which took place on Wednesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, was presided over by Nenadi Usman, a former minister of finance and current chairperson of the party’s caretaker committee.
In attendance were key figures within the party, including Peter Obi, LP’s 2023 presidential candidate; Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate; and Alex Otti, Abia state governor.
Also present were Olumide Akpata and Athan Achonu, the party’s governorship candidates for Edo state and Imo state, respectively.
This gathering came just 48 hours after Julius Abure, the factional chairman, threatened to sanction Obi and Otti for convening the meeting.
Despite the threats, many LP lawmakers, including senators and members of the house of representatives, showed up at the Usman-led meeting.
During the session, the NEC passed a vote of confidence on Obi, Baba-Ahmed, Otti, the Usman-led caretaker committee, and the Obidient movement.
In her opening remarks, Usman appealed to “members of the former National Working Committee (NWC), to sheathe their swords and join in the process of rebuilding the party”.
She announced that the party would review its recent governorship primaries in Anambra state and make an official statement soon.
On Saturday, George Moghalu, former managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), was declared winner of the LP primary held in Awka, the Anambra state capital.,
LP tussle: Supreme Court judgement CTC affirmed Usman’s leadership – Gov Otti
Meanwhile, dupporters of the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Labour Party (LP) broke into jubilation in Abuja, on Wednesday, following release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of last week’s Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership dispute.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who read excerpts from the document, announced that the court affirmed the leadership of Senator Usman.
He was speaking at the National Executives Committee (NEC) meeting and expanded stakeholders summit held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The meeting also attended by the LP national leader and its presidential candidate in 2023 elections, Peter Obi, came two days after a fractional national chairman of the party, Barrister Julius Abure, threatened to sanction Otti and Obi for anti-party activities and the planned parallel NEC which held today.
“The Supreme Court has affirmed that the plaintiff (Usman and others) were right in their appeal and went further to admonish politicians to respect the tenures of office as stipulated in their respective political party constitutions,” Otti said.
He also faulted Abure for insisting on staying as the LP national chairman, even when his tenure had expired and the party members also don’t want him again.
He said, “I had a meeting with him (Abure) and asked him, what he wanted, he said he didn’t want anything, we offered him the Chairmanship of the party’s board of trustees (BoT). He went ahead to want to stay when his tenure and those of the NWC (National Working Committee) had expired.
“The correct procedure of you still want to be national chairman is to start from the ward congress, state congress, zonal congress, where the delegates would emerge for the national convention and everyone member is free to contest,” Otti said
