The political conflicts affecting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are getting worse despite interventions from Nigeria’s highest court, the Supreme Court.
The PDP and LP are still in disarray, despite the contesting parties applauding the Supreme Court’s separate verdicts that confirmed internal methods should settle party leadership conflicts.
The PDP is still having trouble identifying the real person holding the job of National Secretary. At the heart of this conflict are Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye. Julius Abure, Nenadi Usman, and Lamidi Apapa are the three candidates vying for the LP’s national chairmanship, which is also experiencing a similar problem.
PDP Stuck Over National Secretary Conflict
According to reports, the Supreme Court’s decision on March 21, 2025, which some said restored Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary, has left the PDP in a limbo. The PDP governors’ preference for Sunday Ude-Okoye was in direct opposition to this decision. The Nigerian Tribune was informed by sources that the zonal congresses that were initially planned for last weekend have been postponed due to the uncertainties surrounding the National Secretary.
According to a PDP insider, the party is currently “in limbo,” with no progress being made on the national secretary issue.
The Supreme Court’s decision, which sought to settle the issue by restating party procedures, is making matters more difficult because of the party’s lack of political will.
“The party’s lack of decisive action is complicating what appeared to be a straightforward case,” the source stated.
Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary for the PDP, supported the decision, arguing that the Supreme Court had given the party internal procedures the authority to settle leadership disagreements. He stated that the PDP was not in a dire situation and that the decision was “clear and beneficial to party administration.” He underlined that since the court’s ruling excluded the issue from the courts’ purview, party positions have to be settled within.
LP Has Issues with Leadership
Regarding its leadership, however, the LP is in an even more challenging position. Senators Nenadi Usman and Lamidi Apapa are vying for the role of national chairman, challenging Comrade Julius Abure, who has held onto power in the party secretariat. Obiora Ifoh, the LP National Publicity Secretary, however, rejected the challengers’ arguments, claiming that the Supreme Court’s decision put the party back in the same position and that Abure was still the rightful chairman.
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Ifoh stressed that the ruling of the highest court confirmed that Abure had been the chairman all along and did not validate any other person as the chairman.
“The CTC of the ruling confirms that Abure is still the chairman, and the court did not state that Abure should vacate office,” he added, adding that any meetings that were held in violation of the party’s constitution were unlawful.
Ifoh attacked the party leaders’ actions for bringing the issue before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming that the commission already had the CTC and didn’t need any more submissions. He cautioned that the continuous debates risk further factionalizing the party and compromising its cohesiveness.
Internal Disparities Persist
Ahead of the general elections in 2027, worries over the PDP and LP’s future and unity are growing as a result of their ongoing internal conflicts. According to reports, more than 75% of PDP members are disenchanted with the party’s current leadership turmoil, and some are even thinking about quitting. In the meantime, the LP’s standing as an opposition party may deteriorate if its leadership crisis is not resolved.
