On Wednesday, the Labour Party’s leadership crisis intensified, as three individuals asserted their claims to lead the party. The latest twist was a declaration by Alhaji Lamidi Apampa that he is now the leader of the party as the most senior member of the Working Committee following the Supreme Court’s judgement disqualifying Julius Abure as the national chairman.

Consequent to the Supreme Court judgement, a high-level delegation of the Labour Party (LP), led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, visited the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Wednesday to discuss key developments within the party.

As that was happening, Mr Bashiru Lamidi Apapa joined the fray and addressed the press, formally declaring that he has assumed leadership of the party, citing the same Supreme Court ruling. He went further to summon a meeting of the National Working Committee of the party as of 2022 to a meeting in Abuja on Monday, April 14, 2025.

Mr. Apapa declared all actions taken by Julius Abure since April 4, 2025, as null and void and announced Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim as the National Secretary.

At the INEC headquarters, Governor Otti formally presented a certified true copy of the recent Supreme Court judgement concerning the party’s leadership. He noted that the meeting was aimed at fostering clarity, mutual understanding, and institutional alignment regarding the LP’s current structure.

The delegation was received by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Mr. Sam Olumekun, and other National Commissioners. Both parties engaged in discussions centred on enhancing collaboration and reinforcing democratic values.

Mr. Olumekun reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.

The certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgement shows that Mr. Julius Abure was stripped of every legitimate claim to the leadership of the party by setting aside appellate judgements affirming him as chairman. The Supreme Court ruled that the courts lacked jurisdiction, saying such matters are the internal affairs of the party, and granted the applicants all the reliefs sought in the matter. The Nenadi Usman faction of the party and the interim committee were the applicants in the matter.

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday instructed union leaders to begin mobilising their members in preparation to take control of the 36 state offices and the national secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja.

Ajaero issued this directive in an internal memo. The decision follows the Supreme Court’s judgement on Friday, which vacated a previous ruling by lower courts.

The Nigerian Labour Congress is a major bloc constituting the Labour Party. This move echoes the events of March 21, 2024, when aggrieved unionists invaded the LP headquarters and other offices. At the time, the LP National Working Committee accused the unionists of trying to steal sensitive documents and funds. Despite this, Ajaero maintained that they could not stand by and allow the leadership of Julius Abure to ignore the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Ajaero said, “Just as we warned him about a year ago, Nigerian workers and genuine members of the Labour Party will always collect what belongs to them no matter how long mischief lasts. By this communication, we urge every worker in Nigeria, all genuine members of the Labour Party, and all lovers of democracy to be on standby to once again peacefully repossess all offices of the Labour Party nationwide.”

Abure’s Interpretation of Supreme Court Judgement

The Nigeria Labour Party (LP) has said the Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC’s) threat to attack their offices nationwide is blackmailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to do the wrong thing.

LP said its leadership had been drawn to a statement by the NLC’s President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, threatening to attack the Labour Party’s offices nationwide.

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Iffoh, said they would have ignored that threat ordinarily.

Still, we must assure our teeming members of our commitment to keep the fate and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves above the laws of the land.

“Therefore, we see NLC’s latest threat as pure blackmail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies to do the wrong thing.

“The Supreme Court is clear about party leadership, which the courts have no business. The Court stated that courts can not interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The Courts didn’t sack the NWC or hold the tenure to lapse. We advise Joe Ajaero and his irks to seek legal advice if they can not comprehend a simple court pronouncement,” the statement said.

LP said Nigerians would recall that the Labour Party executive elected in 2019, whose tenure was to expire in June 2023, was extended in Asaba for one year by the National Executive Committee, in which NLC attended and played a key role. The tenure was to end in June 2024; however, before the end of that duration, the National Convention was conducted in March 2024 in line with our party constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act as amended, which ushered in the present leadership.

“There has never been any vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party. We must note that we didn’t go to court with Nenadi Usman or any other person on account of leadership because leadership was not in dispute. We only went to court to compel INEC to give us the uploading code for the Ondo state governorship election when Nenadi Usman and Mr Nwokocha came to join us.