ABUJA— The leadership crisis within Nigeria’s Labour Party took a fresh twist on Wednesday as Alhaji Lamidi Apapa re-emerged from political obscurity to declare himself the acting national chairman, citing the recent Supreme Court judgment that nullified the leadership of Julius Abure.

In a statement released by his faction’s spokesman, Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, Apapa claimed that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the apex court’s ruling puts him in a legal position to take over the party’s affairs, based on his status as the most senior Deputy National Chairman.

“Following the dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the ousted former National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure… all actions and decisions taken by Julius Abure since 4th April 2023 are null and void,” the statement read.

The development comes amid an ongoing power struggle between:

• The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC),
• The Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, reportedly backed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and 2023 LP presidential candidate Peter Obi, and
• Now, the Apapa faction, which had been largely dormant until now.

Apapa’s Return and Next Moves

Apapa, who had faded from public view following a bitter intra-party conflict in 2023, announced that his 2022-era National Working Committee will convene on Monday, April 14, to outline a new roadmap for the party. This includes zoning key leadership positions:

• National Chairman to the North
• National Secretary to the South

“I hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, in an acting capacity,” Apapa declared.

He named Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim as his National Secretary.

Background and Legal Context

Last Friday, the Supreme Court set aside a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed Abure’s leadership. While the decision didn’t directly endorse any faction, Apapa argues that the ruling invalidates all of Abure’s actions since April 4, 2023, and thereby reverts authority to the pre-Abure hierarchy.

However, the Abure faction has disputed this interpretation, with LP spokesperson Obiora Ifoh stating that the judgment did not sack the NWC, nor terminate Abure’s tenure.

Tensions With Obi and Otti

This development is likely to heighten tensions with party heavyweights Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti, who have expressed support for a caretaker arrangement led by Senator Nenadi Usman.

On Monday, Obi and Otti led a delegation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to submit the Supreme Court’s CTC, suggesting they were positioning for a post-Abure transition—seemingly independent of Apapa’s claim.

What’s Next?

The Labour Party now faces a three-way leadership dispute, with:

• Abure insisting on the continuity of his NWC,
• Obi and Otti championing a neutral caretaker committee,
• And Apapa asserting legal supremacy based on party constitution and court pronouncements.

The party’s internal wrangling comes at a critical time, with preparations for off-cycle elections and possible constitutional reforms ahead of 2027.

Legal observers expect another round of court battles, while political analysts warn that the infighting may damage the LP’s public credibility and electoral prospects.