Bashiru Lamidi Apapa has announced that he has taken over the leadership of the Labour Party following the Supreme Court judgement that sacked Julius Abure as the national chairman of the opposition party.
Apapa made this declaration at a press conference on Wednesday, citing the recent April 4, 2025, Supreme Court judgement that nullified Abure’s leadership. He confirmed that as a result of the judgment, all actions and decisions taken by Abure since April 4, 2023, are null and void.
In a related development, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State officially submitted a certified true copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment to Mr. Sam Olumekun, the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to further validate the leadership change in the Labour Party. This submission serves as an official recognition of Lamidi Apapa’s acting position as the National Chairman, following the Court's ruling.
Apapa also announced that the National Working Committee of the party, as of 2022, will meet next week on Monday, April 14, 2025. He stated that this meeting will include plans to zone the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South, and to take steps to revive the moribund Board of Trustees.
“My leadership hereby calls on all members of the Labour Party that the National Working Committee of our party as of 2022 will meet next week, Monday, 14th April 2025, to announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South,” Apapa declared.
“My leadership will also take proactive steps to resuscitate the moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional,” he added.
Apapa's leadership also confirmed that the NWC members are hereby put on notice about the meeting, where plans will be made to immediately set in motion the conduct of Ward Congresses, Local Government Congresses, State Congresses, and the National Convention, where every party member shall have the right to participate, provided they are financial members.
NWC Members listed:
- Deputy National Chairman NLC – Mr. Ladi Iliya
- Deputy National Chairman TUC – Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi
- National Secretary – Alh. Umar Farouq Ibrahim
- National Legal Adviser – Bar. Oyelekan Akingbade
- National Publicity Secretary – Dr. Abayomi Arabambi
- National Treasurer – Mrs. Oluchi Opara
- National Youth Leader – (not specified)
