The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party took a dramatic twist on Wednesday, as Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa declared himself the Acting National Chairman of the party, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment as the legal foundation for his claim.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Apapa referenced the apex court’s ruling in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1217/2024 and Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, delivered on April 4, 2025. According to him, the judgment effectively nullified all actions taken by Barrister Julius Abure since April 4, 2023. He noted that the court dismissed Abure’s cross-appeal and overturned earlier judgments that had recognized Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
“The Supreme Court condemned the actions of the lower courts for overstepping their bounds. It rightly asserted that issues concerning a political party’s internal leadership are non-justiciable and fall outside the court’s jurisdiction,” Apapa stated.
Citing Article 14(2)(a)(b) of the Labour Party Constitution, Apapa said he is constitutionally positioned to assume the party’s leadership as the most senior Deputy National Chairman. He further announced Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim as the Acting National Secretary.
Apapa’s declaration marks a significant shift in the Labour Party’s internal power structure, potentially triggering another round of legal and political confrontations.
He revealed that the National Working Committee (NWC), as constituted in 2022, would reconvene on Monday, April 14, 2025, to chart a new course for the party. Top on the agenda is the zoning of the National Chairman’s position to the North and that of the National Secretary to the South.
“We are also taking deliberate steps to revive the long-dormant Board of Trustees and restore its functionality. It is time for true internal democracy and inclusiveness within our great party,” he added.
According to Apapa, plans are underway to conduct fresh congresses across all levels—ward, local government, state, and national—to allow full participation of all financial members.
Expected attendees at the upcoming NWC meeting include Mr. Ladi Iliya (Deputy National Chairman, NLC), Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi (Deputy National Chairman, TUC), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim (Acting National Secretary), Barrister Oyelekan Akingbade (National Legal Adviser), Dr. Abayomi Arabambi (National Publicity Secretary), Mrs. Oluchi Opara (National Treasurer), and the party’s National Youth Leader.
As tensions rise within the party, political observers are keenly watching how this new development will affect the Labour Party’s stability, particularly with critical elections on the horizon.
The party, which experienced a surge in popularity during the 2023 general elections under Peter Obi and Abure’s leadership, now faces a turbulent period marked by internal power struggles and questions over its future direction.
