LP Crisis: INEC keeps factions in suspense

By John Alechenu

ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has kept the feuding factions of the Labour Party (LP) in suspense, more than a month after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.

The Supreme Court, on April 4, 2025, ruled on a leadership tussle between the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and the Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (LP-NCC) led by Senator Nenadi Usman.

In its judgment, the Apex Court dismissed earlier judgments by a High Court and an Appeal Court that had declared Abure as the Chairman. The Supreme Court based its decision on the fact that the matter was an internal affair of the Labour Party and, as such, was beyond the jurisdiction of the lower courts.

Since the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, the ruling has been subject to varied interpretations by both factions.

While the LP-NCC, led by Usman, interpreted it as an end to Abure’s leadership, Abure insists that the judgment validates his position.

INEC, which had earlier informed the public that its legal team was studying the judgment to determine which faction to recognize, stated in a press release that it was yet to conclude its assessment.

In a statement titled “INEC Yet to Make a Decision On Disagreements in the Labour Party,” the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said:

“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course.”

Meanwhile, as the public awaits INEC’s decision, the two factions have engaged in a series of suspensions of party members.

The Abure faction announced the suspension of the party’s presidential candidate and only elected Governor, Alex Otti, alongside five other party stalwarts.

In response, Usman’s faction announced Abure’s suspension and initiated a probe into allegations of corruption and anti-party activities against him.

Usman’s team further approved the appointment of a 24-member caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party’s Lagos State chapter.

In an official letter signed by Usman and addressed to the INEC Chairman on May 5, 2025, the LP-NCC named Rotimi Odunaike as the Chairman of the State Caretaker Committee.

The other members of the committee include:

Adegboyega Adeniji – Deputy State Chairman

Comrade Rasheed Bamishe

Barr. Affiong L. Affiong

Barr. Solomon Agbafor

Dr. Adefolaseye Adebayo

Opeyemi Oluwaseun

Hon. Dorcas Irhoghama Omorodion – State Secretary

Other appointees include:

Mr. Eze Akpiri Ejotorishede – Assistant State Secretary

Comrade Onafowokan Gbenga – Assistant State Secretary

Adesegbe Ehigiator – State Treasurer

Mr. Oladele Egbayelo – Financial Secretary

Mrs. Titi Oworu – Women Leader

Mrs. Olayemi Aboyewa – Deputy Women Leader

Mrs. Ijeoma Okafor – Deputy Women Leader

Basirat Owoiya – Deputy Women Leader

The caretaker committee has been tasked with overseeing the party’s affairs in Lagos State, pending further developments.

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