Key points
- Labour Party’s Abure faction says its leadership dispute has delayed preparations for the 2027 elections.
- The faction is awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on the party’s leadership.
- It says its structure remains intact despite the prolonged legal battle.
- The faction has urged members to remain calm while the case is resolved.
Main story
The Labour Party’s internal leadership dispute is beginning to affect preparations for the 2027 general elections, according to the Lagos State chapter loyal to the Julius Abure-led faction.
Speaking in Lagos, the party’s state secretary, Sam Okpala, said members of the faction were focused on the ongoing legal battle over the party’s national leadership and would await the Supreme Court’s final judgment before making major political decisions ahead of the next election cycle.
He explained that although lower courts recognised Nenadi Usman as the party’s national chairperson, the Abure-led faction has appealed the decisions, leaving the leadership question unresolved.
Okpala maintained that the faction remained united despite the prolonged dispute, saying its organisational structure was still functioning and members continued to meet regularly while awaiting the apex court’s verdict.
He declined to speculate on his political future should the court rule against the Abure faction, insisting that it was premature to discuss possible defections or alternative political plans before the legal process is concluded.
While describing the prolonged leadership tussle as unfortunate, he expressed confidence that the party would eventually overcome the crisis and urged members to remain committed pending the outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings.
The issues
The Labour Party has remained divided by a prolonged leadership battle, creating uncertainty over the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 general elections. The outcome of the Supreme Court case is expected to determine the party’s recognised leadership and could shape its preparations for future elections.
What’s being said
“For us in the Abure faction, we are waiting for the outcome of the case before talking about preparations for the 2027 general elections.” — Sam Okpala, Lagos State Secretary, Labour Party (Abure faction)
What’s next
The Supreme Court is expected to deliver a final ruling on the party’s leadership dispute, after which the competing factions are likely to determine their political strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.
Bottom line
The unresolved leadership crisis continues to cast uncertainty over the Labour Party’s preparations for 2027, with the Abure faction placing its next steps on hold pending the Supreme Court’s final decision.
