Politics
LP Crisis: I Remain National Chairman, Abure Declares
The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Barr Julius Abure has declared that he remains the national chairman of the party.
Speaking when civil society groups and supporters of the Labour Party in FCT visited his office for a solidarity visit, Abure said he has paid his dues in the party in the last 20 years adding that he remains the national chairman of the labour party.
Abure who expressed worry over an order of FCT high court said they have obey the court order before the three rulings.
“We have obeyed the court restraining order and by today, the court gave a ruling, assuming jurisdiction.
“I need to make it abundantly clear that the substantive matter has not started. There was a preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the court and the court today assumed jurisdiction. And for me, I am ready to go for an appeal. In the next few hours, we will be submitting our notice of appeal to the court and we will move all the matter from that court and take it to the court of Appeal.
“I believe that I will get justice in the Court of Appeal. I believe that the Labour Party will get justice in the court of Appeal. Because this same court in FCT in 2023 in the case of Sulieman v APC did the same thing and the Law Report decided by the Supreme Court made it very clear that the court has no jurisdiction over such matter.
“That is where we are standing and we believe that whatever the court has said today can’t stand before the court of Appeal. I believe that the court of Appeal will do the right thing and therefore all our papers will be filled today and by Monday the appeal will commence. And so I want to assure all our supporters, all our members that they should remain calm, I remain the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
“The Labour Party is a democratic institution and you don’t use a coup d’ tat to grab leadership, you don’t use the back door to take over the leadership of the party. That is what Apapa and co tried to do. Though we understand them because they have been paid by their paymasters, if you look at the statement they made today, they are talking about the tribunal.
“Whatever they say is about the tribunal, and it is no longer news that these disgruntled Labour Party members have been paid to truncate the cases in tribunal. They are only satisfying their paymasters and so we urge all our members to disregard them.
“We all know how to remove the National Chairman, and how a new one can be elected. So it is unfortunate that this group of people found themselves in the Labour Party. The time has come for us to separate the wheat from the chaff.
“The party was a small party and because we wanted to have numbers, we accommodated all form of charlatans and dubious people into the party. These are people who didn’t offer anything to the party. Apapa scored zero in Oyo state in the Presidential election. Arabambi who is claiming to be the Publicity Secretary scored zero in Ogun state in the presidential election. They even supported other candidates from other parties. In Edo, I scored 79 percent of the votes in the presidential election. I ensured that APC and PDP did not get 25 percent in that election.
“In the governorship election and House of Assembly election, in spite of the dollars and harassment that were deployed by the PDP government, I am the only national chairman that won my ward. My performance as the national chairman of this party is in no doubt. I inherited a party that was in arrears of salary payment, a party that has no image and today I have made the party number one party in Nigeria.
“At this party, I paid my dues. I have been here for 20 years building this party and today I challenge all other national chairman of other parties, none of them have performed more than me and the records are clear. So these hirelings say they want to take over the party, we laugh at them. And I urge Nigerians to ignore them because whatever information they are getting from them is fake news.
“I want to reassure you that we are in control and I remain the national chairman. I assure you that we continue to provide leadership. Our cases in court, we will continue to defend them. Our House of Reps and senatorial cases, we will continue to defend to the end and our presidential election tribunal we will defend to the end. No amount of distraction will stop us from attaining our aspirations.
“I listened to you clearly, you are dreaming for a new Nigeria, and I want to say it clearly, no one, no amount of intimidation, harassment, no amount of hundreds of Apapas can stop an idea whose time has come.
“Time has come for Nigeria to take back their country, the time has come for the Labour Party to take over the presidency of this country and nothing will stop us,” Abure said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Labour Party said it is highly disappointed by the refusal of the FCT State High Court to decline jurisdiction over the matter brought before his Lordship, Justice Hamza Muazu by a group loyal to the suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa against some of our leaders including the National Chairman, Julius Abure and three others.
A statement issued by the acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiorah Ifoh, said in his Lordship ruling, the judge said that he will go ahead to hear the substantive matter.
“The matter has been adjourned to Friday, May 19 for further deliberation.
“However, we are appealing the ruling immediately because we know we will not get justice from the court.
“Meanwhile, Barrister Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Party pending the final determination of the matter,” he said.
…Says your defection must be transformative
Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta north, has asked Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta state, to leave behind the “old habits” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as he begins a new political journey in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement addressed to the governor following his recent defection, Nwoko warned that the move must not just be symbolic but transformative, urging Oborevwori to “leave behind the politics of survival and step into the politics of legacy”.
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Old habits, old politics, and the old deals that led to the gradual decline of the PDP in Delta must be left behind,” Nwoko said.
He praised the governor’s decision to join the APC, describing it as a bold step that opens new possibilities for Delta state and Nigeria’s political future.
The lawmaker noted that the APC, “reenergised and focused,” had already begun laying the groundwork for constitutional amendments, including the creation of Anioma and New Delta states.
“Chief among these is the creation of two new viable states: Anioma and New Delta,” he said.
“Let me remind you, this agenda was declared a done deal by the party leadership long before your defection, a testament to the APC’s commitment to correcting historical imbalances and ending regional marginalisation.”
The senator asked the governor to lead the charge for constitutional reforms and demonstrate renewed dedication to fairness, inclusive development, and progressive governance.
“Your defection must not be symbolic; it must be transformative. This is your opportunity to embrace a new sense of purpose and demonstrate renewed dedication to progressive governance, fairness, and inclusive development,” Nwoko said.
“The creation of Anioma state will finally give voice, identity, and institutional power to the aspirations of Delta North. It is a long overdue recognition of a people who have sought parity with their kinsmen.
“The proposed New Delta will address the deep internal asymmetries within the current Delta state structure. It will empower neglected communities, bring government closer to the people, and unlock new paths for economic growth.
“For the first time, the APC is armed with the numbers to amend the constitution. This time, we can fulfill these promises without demanding painful trade-offs from the South. We are not lobbying from a place of weakness; we are standing firmly in a position of strength.
“These changes are more than political. They are economic necessities. They are about focused governance, better infrastructure, increased federal allocation, and grassroots democracy. Two new states will mean two new engines of development.”
The Lagos Society for Good Governance, a non-partisan civic organisation, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and halt what it describes as unconstitutional tenure elongation schemes in several Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State.
The group also urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to issue clear guidance on constitutional term limits for local government administrations.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the group’s coordinator, Ademola Gafar, appealed to President Tinubu to demonstrate moral leadership by rejecting attempts to extend tenures beyond constitutional limits.
“As a leader of our democracy and a true son of Lagos, we urge the President to engage with the leadership of Lagos State to ensure that forthcoming local government elections adhere strictly to constitutional norms and best democratic practices,” Gafar said.
The group highlighted specific cases in three LCDAs where chairpersons are allegedly seeking unconstitutional third terms.
In Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, Vice Chairman Famuyiwa assumed the chairmanship in 2019 following the death of Chairman Arologun.
He won re-election in 2021, and his current bid for another term is deemed a violation of term limits. Similarly, in Onigbongbo LCDA, Vice Chairman Dotun Adekanye became chairman in 2020 after Chairman Dayo Oke’s death, won re-election in 2021, and died in November 2024.
His successor, the current vice chairman, remains eligible for the 2025 elections but cannot seek further terms. In Ikosi Isheri LCDA, Vice Chairman Abolanle Bada took over in 2020 after Chairman Abdulfatai Oyesanya’s death, won re-election in 2021, and is now pursuing an unconstitutional third term.
The group argued that these actions contravene the Fourth Alteration Bill No. 16 of the 1999 Constitution, signed into law in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the group, the amendment limits individuals who succeed to an office following an incumbent’s death to one additional term. This principle, the group noted, extends to local governments under Section 7 of the Constitution, which mandates democratically elected councils.
“Lagos State, as Nigeria’s centre of excellence, must not set dangerous precedents that undermine constitutional governance,” Gafar stated, calling on the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission to implement reforms that strengthen local government autonomy and disqualify candidates seeking unconstitutional terms.
The group praised recent council elections in Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, and northwest states for adhering to electoral laws, resulting in free, fair, and credible outcomes.
The organisation also recalled President Tinubu’s opposition to tenure elongation during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, expressing confidence that he would not support undemocratic practices.
It urged the implicated LCDA chairpersons to withdraw from the electoral contest in recognition of constitutional limits, warning that normalising such violations threatens Nigeria’s democracy.
It vowed to pursue all legal and peaceful means to resist attempts to subvert the constitutional order, reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles and good governance.
Politics
Ned Nwoko Urges Oborevwori to Leave Behind PDP’s Old Ways in His New APC Journey — Emphasizing the Need for Transformative Change
Ned Nwoko, the senator for Delta North, has called on Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, to abandon the “old habits” associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as he embarks on a new political chapter within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement directed at the governor following his recent defection, Nwoko emphasized that this transition should not merely be a symbolic gesture but rather a transformative process. He urged Oborevwori to “move beyond politics of survival and embrace the politics of legacy.”
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. It is essential to leave behind outdated practices, old political dynamics, and the arrangements that have contributed to the PDP’s gradual decline in Delta,” Nwoko remarked.
He commended the governor for his decision to join the APC, labeling it as a courageous move that could open up new avenues for both Delta State and the broader political landscape of Nigeria.
The senator pointed out that the APC, now “reenergized and focused,” has already initiated efforts for constitutional amendments, which include the establishment of Anioma and New Delta states.
“Foremost among these initiatives is the creation of two viable new states: Anioma and New Delta,” he stated.
“Let me remind you that this agenda was endorsed by the party leadership long before your defection, highlighting the APC’s commitment to rectifying historical imbalances and addressing regional marginalization.”
Nwoko urged the governor to take the lead in advocating for constitutional reforms, showcasing a renewed commitment to equity, inclusive development, and progressive governance.
“Your defection must transcend mere symbolism; it must be a catalyst for transformation. This is your moment to adopt a renewed sense of purpose and showcase your commitment to progressive governance, equity, and inclusive development,” Nwoko asserted.
“The establishment of Anioma state will finally provide a voice, identity, and institutional power to the aspirations of Delta North, representing a long-overdue acknowledgment of a community seeking parity with its counterparts.
“The proposed New Delta will rectify significant internal disparities within the existing Delta state framework. It will empower marginalized communities, bring government closer to the populace, and pave the way for new economic opportunities.”
“For the first time, the APC possesses the numbers necessary to amend the constitution. This time, we can honor these commitments without imposing burdensome trade-offs on the South. We are not negotiating from a position of weakness; we stand resolutely in a position of strength.
“These proposed changes are not merely political; they are economic imperatives. They concern targeted governance, improved infrastructure, enhanced federal allocations, and grassroots democracy. The creation of two new states will serve as two new engines for development.”