ABUJA, Nigeria – The leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) has deepened as both Julius Abure, the factional national chairman of the party, and Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate, called for separate National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings.
The developments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on Friday, April 4, 2025, which set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal that had previously recognized Abure as the party’s national chairman.
The Supreme Court ruling emphasized that leadership issues within political parties are internal matters and beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
In response to the judgment, Julius Abure’s faction announced an ongoing NEC meeting at the Labour Party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed the meeting on Monday, stating that discussions would focus on the future direction of the party in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.
However, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election, alongside Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, has also called for a separate meeting.
Obi and Otti issued a joint statement inviting key stakeholders, including LP candidates from the 2023 elections, vice-presidential candidates, and serving and former senators, to a stakeholders’ summit on Wednesday, April 9.
The event is set to be held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, following an NEC meeting scheduled for the same day.
In their statement, Obi and Otti underscored the importance of the meeting to chart the course for the party’s future, emphasizing the need for unity and effective leadership.
When contacted, Ifoh dismissed the separate meeting called by Obi and Otti as “unlawful,” asserting that the legitimate NEC meeting of the party was currently taking place under Abure’s leadership.
