A former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Nasarawa State under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adamu made the announcement during a meeting with the State Working Committee of the APC held in Lafia, the state capital, on Thursday.

Speaking at the gathering, the former police chief said his decision was in response to what he described as a “clarion call” from the people of Nasarawa who, he claimed, have expressed confidence in his leadership capabilities and wealth of experience.

“I am answering the call of my people who believe I can serve and move Nasarawa forward,” Adamu declared.

He assured party members that if elected, his administration would be inclusive and transparent, with a firm commitment to development.

“My administration, by the grace of God, will be inclusive, transparent, and focused on delivering tangible development across all sectors,” he said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to take a definitive stance on the leadership tussle within the Labour Party following the Supreme Court’s recent judgment.

Multiple sources within the commission told DAILY GAZETTE on Thursday that the decision-making process is still ongoing.

“No decision has been made yet on the Supreme Court judgment of the Labour Party,” one official disclosed under the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly.

Another official explained that INEC is awaiting a full understanding of the court’s intent before making any pronouncement.

“The commission needs to obtain a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgement, study it carefully to determine what the court intended, before arriving at an informed decision,” the source said.

The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered on April 4, 2025, nullified an earlier judgment by the Court of Appeal that had recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

It ruled that the appellate court lacked jurisdiction over internal party affairs.

However, the judgment has sparked divergent interpretations.

Julius Abure maintains that the verdict does not remove him from his position, while a caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman insists that Abure has been effectively removed.

Another factional figure, Lamidi Apapa, has also re-emerged, laying claim to the party’s leadership.

Seeking to resolve the confusion, an LP delegation including Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, met with INEC officials in Abuja on April 9.

During the meeting, Otti presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment to the commission.

The visit aimed to reinforce communication between the party and INEC, and to clarify the party’s leadership.

INEC National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, received the delegation alongside other senior officials.

Olumekun assured the visitors of the commission’s dedication to impartiality.

He emphasized INEC’s “commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law” in discharging its duties.

Despite this effort at clarification, Abure insisted on Thursday that he remains the legitimate chairman of the Labour Party.

He addressed the media in Abuja through the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.

“The position of the Labour Party after critically reviewing the Supreme Court judgment delivered on the 4th of April 2025 stated as follows: The Supreme Court, contrary to speculations, actually reaffirmed the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi,” Ifoh stated.

Citing legal precedent, he continued, “The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who had joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2015) LPELR-24588 (SC).”

He further warned: “Consequently, we admonished Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, and Peter Obi, former presidential Candidate of our party in the 2023 General Election, who are the protagonists of the current division in the Party, to hear the Supreme Court loud and clear.”

Abure argued that the party had complied with all legal requirements prior to the convention in question.

“The Supreme Court admonished party members to respect the Constitution of their party when it stated thus; Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members,” he said.

Two weeks earlier, Obi and Otti’s faction presented the 48-page Certified True Copy of the ruling during a separate LP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.

They claimed it settled any lingering misinterpretations of the court’s decision.

Present at the gathering were Obi, Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha, National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee.

Also in attendance were Kenneth Okonkwo, members of both the National and Abia State Assemblies, and representatives of the Obidient Movement Worldwide.

Efforts to reach Tony Akeni, spokesperson for the Usman-led faction, were unsuccessful.

He requested more time due to health reasons and promised to respond later, but remained unreachable at press time.

Similarly, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, could not be contacted.

The trend of high-level defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears far from over, as more state governors are reportedly preparing to join the ruling party.

In a surprise development, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori recently led his cabinet in defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, intensifying political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, while speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, hinted that more defections are imminent.

“I don’t know the number, but we are expecting [more governors to join the APC],” he stated.

“You have a lot of people who have shown interest – even among the governors, you know – who are coming into the APC.”

Sule attributed the growing appeal of the APC to President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing reforms. “When we are meeting with the president, you see the excitement among them,” he noted.

According to him, politicians feel welcomed and valued by Tinubu’s leadership.

“They feel accepted by this president, and they like him,” Sule added.

Governor Oborevwori’s switch to the APC was accompanied by his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, during an event in Asaba, marking the end of long-standing speculation about their political alignment.

Okowa had previously been the PDP’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.

Oborevwori had earlier pledged support for President Tinubu’s potential re-election in 2027, even while still a PDP member.

Akwa Ibom Governor Umoh Eno similarly endorsed Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Commenting on the move, Delta State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the decision was motivated by a desire “for us to be able to collaborate and build a state that every Deltan will be proud of.”

Governor Sule emphasized that these developments reflect a broader admiration for Tinubu’s approach to governance.

“According to him, the swelling number of high-profile politicians in the APC is a reflection of the reforms by President Bola Tinubu’s administration,” the report concluded.

The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, has expressed deep disappointment over the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Describing the move as unexpected, Damagum said it was a painful betrayal, especially given the level of support the PDP had extended to Delta State over the years.

In a major political shake-up, Oborevwori, along with several key PDP stakeholders in Delta, formally exited the party on Wednesday to align with the ruling APC.

Speaking during the presentation of a Certificate of Return to the PDP’s Anambra governorship candidate, Chief Ezenwafor Jude, Damagum emphasized that the party had done nothing but good for Delta State.

“It’s very sad and unfortunate because to me, if there’s any state that should think that way, not Delta, because the party is very magnanimous.”

“I thank God that in their message, they didn’t say that the party did anything wrong to them other than good,” he said.

“It’s a decision taken by them, but the pains will be in us not because of anything, but because we have given Delta State all our support, from the emergence of the governor to his predecessor, who also doubled as our vice presidential candidate.

“I think we’ve done it all for them in Delta State. We least expected this action from them. All the same, this is a party that have seen more than that, but it’s still standing.”

Looking ahead to 2027, Damagum argued that the next general election would not be about party structures or leadership numbers but a referendum on the APC’s governance and its impact on everyday Nigerians.

“This election in 2027 is not about how many governors you have or how many leaders. It’s about Tinubu and Nigerians.

“The ordinary man is feeling the pain, and the decision is his. So I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that it is their election. It is APC versus Nigerians.

“It’s not APC versus any governor or senator or anything but APC versus Nigerians. So I want to urge all of us to close ranks and rescue ourself from this hardship that is inflicted on us by design, not any coincidence.”

Damagum also stated that the PDP would immediately reorganize its Delta State structures through the formation of a caretaker committee to regain control.

“We are still taking stock, and we will do that immediately. I also want to enjoin our members, both in Delta and the country in general, I want to remind us of what happened in 2023. The PDP can still make it,” he said.

Drawing inspiration from the 2023 elections, Damagum noted that Labour Party’s Peter Obi made significant electoral gains despite not having served as a governor.

“The PDP can still make it,” he reiterated, suggesting that the people’s will could once again shape Nigeria’s future regardless of political betrayals.