POLITICS
LP Leadership Battle: Court Sacks Abure, Installs Nenadi
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, sacked Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a judgement that was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the high court relied on the April 4, 2025, verdict of the Supreme Court to declare a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, as the valid leader of the party.
Consequently, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to forthwith recognise the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” pending when the party convenes a national convention.
The judgement followed a suit marked: THC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, which the former minister lodged before the court.
Aside from Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) was also cited as a defendant in the matter.
Justice Lifu held that evidence before him established that Abure’s tenure as the national chairman of the LP had since elapsed.
While dismissing Abure’s contention that the matter was an internal affair of a political party, which is non-justiciable, the court held that the setting up of the LP Caretaker Committee was “a necessity” that arose from the Supreme Court’s order.
It will be recalled that following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.
To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with the former Finance Minister, Usman, as Chairman.
The decision was the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party that was hosted in Umuahia by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
The meeting at which Abure was sacked from office was chaired by his former ally and the party’s 2023 presidential election candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
Dissatisfied with the decision, Abure approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to validate his position as the National Chairman of the party.
In an affidavit he personally deposed to in support of the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, Abure told the court that following the death of the National Chairman of the LP, he was lawfully elected as the Acting National Chairman of the party at a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the party that held in Benin City, Edo State, on March 29, 2021.
He told the court that on April 18, 2023, at the NEC meeting of the party held in Asaba, Delta State and duly monitored by INEC, it was resolved that tenures of State Chairmen whose tenures had expired be renewed.
He said it was at the same meeting that some members who were engaged in anti-party activities were expelled and replacements for vacant positions created as a result of the expulsion were made.
Abure averred that in line with a consensus that was reached at the meeting, the party subsequently held its National Convention on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi, Anambra State, where he was lawfully elected to the office of National Chairman of the LP.
He said the party under his leadership produced candidates for governorship elections in both Edo and Ondo states.
While both the high court and the court of appeal upheld Abure’s case and ordered INEC to recognise him, he was however dislodged by the Supreme Court which nullified the concurrent decisions of the two lower courts
In its lead judgement that was prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court allowed the appeal that was filed by Chairman and Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, respectively.
The Supreme Court equally dismissed a cross-appeal that was filed by Abure, even as it enjoined political parties to always abide by their own rules in the appointment of their officers.
It further implored officials of political parties whose tenures have elapsed to learn to vacate their positions.
POLITICS
APC E-Registration: Benue Records Over 383,496 Members in First Phase
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) have registered over 383,496 members in Benue State in the e- registration exercise embarked upon by the party.
Recall that the e-registration was flagged off in Benue state on January 12th, 2026 with Governor Hyacinth Alia enrolled at his polling unit in Mbangur, Mbadede Council Ward, Vandeikya Local Government Area as 001.
The Benue State APC Organizing Secretary/Publicity Secretary, James Ornguga who announced this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, disclosed that Benue State ranked 2nd in the North Central behind Kwara state.
He also said with this figure, the State is ranked 11th out of the 36 states, stressing that the registration has been suspended at the moment.
He added that the party would resume the e – registration after the National Convention of the party slated for between March 25th 28th, 2026.
“The person in charge of the ICT at the National Secretariat of the party had a zoom meeting with all organizing secretaries across the states and told us that the exercise would be temporarily halted so as to collate the number for our national convention. After the convention, the exercise will resume.
“So far, the exercise has been impressive with a massive turn out of members. The good thing about this e-registration is that there are no manipulations. Members are registered using their BVN. There were no issues as both the SGF and the governor’s agents cooperated and all the registration was collated into one portal.
“We appeal to those yet to be registered to be patient as they will be captured as soon as they exercise resumes”.
POLITICS
Transmission of election results electronically and manual recipe for Chaos – Atiku
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has warned that the decision of the Senate to approve dual election transmission of election results through electronic and manual means will spell doom and cause chaos for the 2027 general election.
The Former vice President stated this at the residence of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida while speaking to journalists shortly after a closed door meeting with the elder statesman.
He explained that the decision to grant electronic transmission of election results alongside using manual means is deliberately done to orchestrate chaos in the transmission of results.
According to him, the amendment of section 60 of the electoral act by the Senate was to afford Nigerians the opportunity of real time electronic transfer of election results at different levels.
“But what we got is a mixture of manual and electronic which is going to cause chaos
“I think there is urgent need for all opposition parties to come together, so that we do not allow this issue to rest, where they want it to rest”
On his plans to contest the 2027 Presidential election, the former number two citizen of the country said, noted that the issue of contesting does not even arise as he and other ADC leaders are now busy trying to firmly build the party from the ward, Local government, State and at the national level.
“We are now busy mobilising for membership and register as many members as possible”
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar also debunked the notion that the party has a zoning policy in place, noting that it has never inserted such in its constitution.
“ADC as no zoning in ADC constitutional provision, it only PDP that has it”
Speaking on the controversy over the alleged forging of the recently gazetted tax law, the Former vice President described APC as a party of Forgets.
“What do you expect from APC, generally they are a party of Forgets and election riggers
“They forge everything, they forge certificates, they forge age declaration, they simply forge everything that is the hallmark of APC”.
POLITICS
Reps Constitute Seven-Man Sub-Committee to Audit Gas Supplied to Gencos
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating power sector reforms and expenditure between 2006 and 2024 has constituted a seven-man sub-committee to conduct a forensic audit of the usage of gas supplied to electricity generation companies (Gencos) across the country.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Representative Harrison Nwadike, who questioned the rationale behind the continued supply of gas to the moribund Sapele Power Plant over the past one year.
Nwadike said the committee made the discovery during its recent oversight visit to the plant in Sapele, Delta State, noting that despite receiving gas supplies, the facility has not generated electricity.
Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Representative Al-Mustapha Aliyu, said there were widespread concerns among Nigerians that Seplat Energy Company was not supplying adequate gas to Gencos as required, thereby strangulating power plants and short-changing the country.
However, responding to the allegations, the Managing Director of Seplat Energy, Ibiada Itoto, dismissed the claims, insisting that the company has remained committed to supporting the Federal Government’s power sector reform agenda.
According to her, Seplat’s primary objective has always been to ensure the sustainability and growth of Nigeria’s power sector, rather than undermining it.
Also speaking, the General Manager, Gas, Seplat Energy Company, Olubukola Fasoyin, disclosed that the Sapele Power Plant is currently indebted to Seplat to the tune of ₦20 billion for gas supplied.
Despite this, Representative Nwadike, who moved the motion for the forensic audit, alleged that Seplat may have committed an economic crime by allegedly being an accomplice to a power plant that has diverted gas supplied for electricity generation over the past one year.
Reacting, Chairman of the Committee, Representative Aliyu, expressed shock, disappointment and surprise that a company of Seplat’s stature allegedly lacked the internal structure to detect foul play in the utilisation of gas supplied to power plants.
Meanwhile, the committee constituted a seven-man sub-committee to carry out the forensic audit. Members of the sub-committee include Representative Afam Victor Ogene as Chairman, while Kafilat Ogbara, Salisu Magaji, Faud Kayode Laguda, Harrison Nwadike among others will serve as members.


