By Editorial Team
After months of internal wrangling and a long-drawn legal tussle over party leadership, calm has finally returned to the Labour Party.
On Wednesday, April 10, 2025, party leaders led by former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Senator Victor Umeh publicly announced that the leadership crisis within the party has officially come to an end.
The resolution follows a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, which effectively put a lid on the dispute surrounding the position of the party’s National Chairman. Speaking after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Peter Obi and Victor Umeh addressed journalists, affirming that the party is now united and ready to move forward.
Labour Party is now one,” declared Obi, emphasizing that all factions have agreed to put the interest of the party and the country above individual ambitions.
To solidify the party’s renewed unity, key figures within the Labour Party staged a symbolic march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. Among those who participated in the visit were Peter Obi, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and other party stalwarts.
They were warmly received by INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun. During the visit, the delegation submitted the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment and called on the electoral commission to recognise Barrister Julius Abure as the legitimate National Chairman of the Labour Party.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling delivered by a five-member panel, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal that had earlier affirmed Julius Abure’s position as Chairman. According to the apex court, the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to rule on the matter since it involved the internal leadership structure of the party.
The ruling came after an appeal was filed by Senator Ester Usman and another party member challenging Abure’s claim to the chairmanship. The court upheld the appeal, noting it was meritorious, and dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Abure’s camp for lacking substance.
Reading from the CTC of the judgment, Governor Alex Otti quoted Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court:
“The decisions of both the high court and the Court of Appeal, which recognized Barrister Julius Abure as Chairman, are hereby set aside. The suit is struck out for want of jurisdiction.”
Justice Okoro also used the opportunity to urge political parties to strictly follow their constitutions and internal guidelines when selecting officers and candidates to avoid unnecessary litigation.
“If a political party has set tenure limits for its officials, such individuals must be humble enough to exit when their term ends,” he advised.
With this development, Peter Obi, Victor Umeh, and other leaders believe that the Labour Party is now poised for stability, growth, and better performance in future elections. They expressed optimism that the party’s renewed unity would restore the confidence of Nigerians and further energize its grassroots support base.
The leadership affirmed their commitment to strengthening internal democracy, rebuilding trust among party members, and remaining focused on the ideals that endeared the party to millions of Nigerians during the 2023 general elections.
As Labour Party closes this chapter of internal conflict, the focus now shifts to rebuilding and preparing for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The party, once riddled with infighting, is hopeful for a new era of cooperation and political relevance.