THE NATIONAL Executive Council (NEC) of Labour Party has reaffirmed the leadership elected at its 2024 National Convention in Nnewi, Anambra, and approved key organisational decisions.
This was made known in a resolution jointly signed by the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, Mr Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Ibrahim respectively and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the resolution was the outcome of the NEC meeting held on Friday in Abuja which was attended by members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state chairmen and secretaries of the party.
NAN also reports that the meeting was monitored by officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Others in attendance at the meeting were national officers, stakeholders and co-opted NEC members.
In the resolutions, read by the national chairman, the party’s NEC said it had reviewed the controversies that trailed the 2024 convention, ongoing litigations and the stance of INEC.
It also cited recent Supreme Court judgments affirming that leadership disputes within political parties are strictly internal matters and not subject to judicial intervention.
Quoting a 2025 Supreme Court ruling in Abegunde vs Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors, the NEC noted that political parties, as corporate entities, are bound by their own constitutions and internal dispute-resolution mechanisms.
“Members are obligated to comply with party rules they freely subscribed to. Consequently, the NEC reaffirmed the officers elected at the March 27, 2024 convention.
“Those retained include National Chairman, Mr Julius Abure; Deputy National Chairmen, Clement Ojukwu, Dr Ayo Olorunfemi and Esther Gulmu as well as the National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim.
Others are the National Treasurer, Mrs Ngozi Doga; National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh and National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ahanotu, among others.
“The NEC also filled several vacant NWC positions, appointing Oluwafemi Arabambi as National Vice Chairman (South-West), Favour Reuben, Assistant National Organising Secretary and Mr Enu Kikawa, Assistant National Woman Leader (South-South).
“In addition, the council mandated the national chairman and national secretary to convene a special convention, when necessary, and ratify the decision to conduct ward, local government and state congresses nationwide,” the NEC stated.
The party therefore commended the INEC leadership for helping to make peace to return to the party by reaffirming its leadership.
It also commended all loyal members and the media for standing by the party through the turbulent times, adding that they had succeeded in making Labour Party an institution that could stand on its own against all odds.
Also at the meeting, the party’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, said that Labour Party as a welfarist party.
He promised that if the party should be allowed to take over government in 2027, the welfare of Nigerians would be assured.
Baba-Ahmed clarified that the Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, Mr Peter Obi, is still part of the party. (NAN)
