Nenadi Usman, NLC, Apapa Battle Abure for Control of Labour Party

The Labour Party (LP) is facing an escalating leadership crisis as three factions vie for control following a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that invalidated Julius Abure’s leadership. The faction led by Esther Nenadi Usman, along with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Lamidi Apapa, have each moved to assert their claim to the party’s leadership.

Usman, now heading the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), swiftly convened a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, attended by LP lawmakers. Following the meeting, Usman, accompanied by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to submit a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court ruling and formally requested the withdrawal of INEC’s recognition of Abure as national chairman.

However, Julius Abure has vowed to resist, maintaining that he is the legitimate chairman of the party. He accused Usman, Otti, and Obi of attempting to hijack the party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.

In response to the growing crisis, the NLC directed its state councils to take over all Labour Party offices across Nigeria. It also called on INEC to remove all references to Abure and his National Working Committee (NWC) from its records. The NLC warned that any actions outside constitutional procedures would be fiercely resisted.

In a further twist, Lamidi Apapa, who once declared himself national chairman, has renewed his claim, declaring himself acting national chairman based on the court’s judgment. Apapa stated that he would convene a meeting of the 2022 NWC and announced plans to zone key leadership positions within the party.

While Usman expressed a willingness to reconcile with Abure, she emphasized the need for unity and fairness within the party. Meanwhile, Governor Otti and Peter Obi have voiced their support for Usman’s leadership, urging a transparent rebuilding process for the party from the grassroots level.

The NLC also called on security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s ruling, warning that any opposition to the judgment would be an affront to the rule of law. The battle for the leadership of the Labour Party remains at a critical juncture as these competing factions continue to clash over its future direction.