The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, on Friday chaired a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting attended by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.

The meeting, held at the LP national secretariat in Abuja, comes against the backdrop of persistent internal conflict stemming from the party’s controversial 2024 national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The Nnewi gathering had returned Abure as national chairman, a decision that sparked legal battles, the emergence of factions, and opposition from key figures, including the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

In July 2024, Obi, Otti, and other senior party leaders rejected the Nnewi outcomes and established a 29-member caretaker committee led by former minister Nemadi Usman to organise inclusive congresses and a new national convention.

The move deepened the leadership crisis that has lingered for months, with both camps citing court rulings and the party constitution to defend their positions.

Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting, Abure said the council relied heavily on a recent Supreme Court decision which reaffirmed that political parties’ internal leadership matters are non-justiciable.

“The NEC has the responsibility to manage party affairs between national conventions and to fill vacant positions. That is why we convened this meeting, to resolve our internal issues and strategically position the party for the 2027 elections,” he said.

He added that the Labour Party has become a major force in Nigeria’s political landscape and must demonstrate that political parties are stronger than individual actors.

Abure also thanked INEC for deploying officials to observe the NEC meeting, saying their presence validated his leadership, especially since the commission did not monitor the Nnewi convention, a situation that contributed to lingering disputes.

“Without sounding immodest, I have always said that when lawyers are in office, there is fairness and equity. I am glad that peace is gradually returning to political parties because INEC is now headed by a lawyer,” he said.

INEC’s team was drawn from the Litigation and Election Party Monitoring (EPM) departments and led by Mrs. Rakiya Dattijo.

After reviewing the controversies surrounding the Nnewi convention, the NEC reaffirmed the list of national officers elected on March 27, 2024, retaining Abure as National Chairman and Umar Farouk Ibrahim as National Secretary.

Several vacant positions were also filled, and the chairman and secretary were authorised to convene a special convention if necessary.

The council further endorsed plans to conduct ward, local government, and state congresses across the country.

Quoting the Supreme Court judgment, Abure reiterated that political parties are corporate bodies governed by their internal rules and that members who join do so voluntarily and must adhere to those internal mechanisms for dispute resolution.

When former Vice President Atiku Abubakar arrived in Jalingo on Tuesday, the city felt charged with anticipation.

What was officially the commissioning of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) state secretariat quickly took on the tone of a significant political repositioning for the seasoned politician.

Supporters from Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano and several other states accompanied him, reinforcing the sense that Atiku’s visit was more than a ceremonial engagement.

Many interpreted his appearance as the opening scene of a new political journey, one that might mark his departure from familiar platforms and alliances.

For decades, Atiku has been a major force within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), contesting for the presidency multiple times. But in Taraba, he projected himself under a different banner.

Though he stopped short of officially cutting ties with the PDP, his declaration that the ADC is the “only platform” capable of rescuing Nigeria signaled a dramatic shift in alignment.

Addressing the crowd, Atiku spoke with urgency and disappointment, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of worsening the nation’s economic and security woes.

“The present government deceived you and plunged the country into lack of peace, hunger, poverty, and joblessness,” he said, describing Nigeria as a nation in distress.

He presented the ADC as a credible vehicle for a national reset, one capable of steering the country out of its political stagnation and economic hardship.

But his message wasn’t limited to criticism. Atiku emphasized the necessity of civic participation, urging Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Without your voter cards, your determination to change leadership in 2027 will be in vain,” he warned, highlighting the practical steps required for political transformation.

His remarks resonated with many citizens frustrated by years of unfulfilled promises yet still hopeful for a leader and a platform capable of delivering change.

Taraba’s ADC chairman, Hassan Adamu, reinforced Atiku’s message with bold optimism.

He asserted that the 2027 elections would usher in a political rebirth.

“In 2027, a new government will be formed, and we will deliver Taraba to ADC and Atiku,” he declared confidently.

The event also featured the inauguration of the state transition committee, chaired by Senator Abubakar Tutare, with Barrister Haruna Kwetishe as secretary, a move that underscored the ADC’s intention to strengthen its internal structures ahead of the election cycle.

Although it remains uncertain whether Atiku’s engagement with the ADC marks a permanent political shift or a strategic partnership, one thing is undeniable: amid growing public frustration, Nigerians are increasingly open to alternatives.

Atiku’s message tapped into this national mood, portraying the ADC as the platform for renewal.

For now, Jalingo has become the stage for what could be Atiku Abubakar’s next major political chapter, one centered on a promise to rescue Nigeria and lead it toward a new political horizon.

The real test will come as 2027 approaches and the ADC seeks to convert enthusiasm into electoral strength.

A new wave of tension has swept through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as rival factions escalate their struggle for legitimacy, sending contradictory letters to the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Each group is seeking official judicial recognition amid the party’s deepening leadership crisis.

The latest development stems from a strongly worded letter dated November 26, 2025, sent to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, by Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

In the letter, Anyanwu asserts that he remains the lawful National Secretary of the PDP.

Anyanwu accused former Deputy National Chairman, Taofeek Arapaja, of impersonation and of attempting to influence the judiciary.

He claimed Arapaja’s earlier petition, written on November 19 to query how PDP cases were being assigned to specific judges, was meant to discredit the courts.

Describing Arapaja’s letter as “malicious, frivolous, and mischievous,” Anyanwu argued that Arapaja lacked both constitutional and legal authority to communicate on behalf of the party.

He noted that Arapaja’s name does not appear on the list of PDP national officers recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“It is regrettable and disdainful for the person of Arapaja to disparage the collective integrity of the judiciary simply because the rulings of the court run contrary to their expectations,” Anyanwu wrote.

He urged the Chief Judge to ignore all correspondence from individuals he termed “false claimants,” insisting that the PDP’s leadership structure is unambiguous and verifiable through INEC records.

Anyanwu also issued what he called a formal disclaimer against Arapaja, accusing him of falsely presenting himself as the party’s National Secretary.

Arapaja, however, presented a contrasting account in his earlier petition.

Claiming to act with the authority of the national chairman and the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC), he expressed concern about what he described as the “repetitive” assignment of PDP-related cases to only three judges in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

He named the judges as Justice James Omotosho, Justice Peter Lifu, and Justice Abdulmalik.

According to Arapaja, although the Abuja Division has 12 judges, nearly all PDP cases in recent years have been routed to this trio, an arrangement he said has aroused suspicion among party members and the public.

While acknowledging the integrity of the judiciary, Arapaja appealed for future PDP cases to be assigned to other judges to preserve public confidence, stressing that “justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.”