Confusion Surrounds Anambra Labour Party Primaries
There is growing confusion and uncertainty surrounding the Labour Party’s governorship primaries in Anambra State, which were originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 5, 2025. The disarray within the party’s ranks, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on Friday, has led to conflicting statements and a sense of disarray among the party’s leadership in Anambra State. This event has left party members, supporters, and political observers in suspense about whether the primaries will go ahead as planned.
The Supreme Court ruling, delivered on Friday, April 4, 2025, removed Julius Abure from his position as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. This ruling, while significant, has sparked disagreements within the party, creating an internal rift that threatens to derail the planned primaries. The ruling has created a legal and leadership vacuum, with various factions within the party interpreting the decision in different ways.
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The Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday, which removed Julius Abure as National Chairman, is at the heart of the current confusion. The decision, which appears to have invalidated several previous actions and appointments made under Abure’s leadership, has thrown the party’s national structure into turmoil.
For some, this decision means a restructuring of the party’s leadership, including the suspension or cancellation of any planned primaries under the old leadership. In Anambra, this has raised a number of questions about whether the state’s governorship primaries can still be held as planned, or if they would be delayed or postponed due to the changes at the national level.
Following the ruling, some state chapters have interpreted the Supreme Court decision as a sign to halt any further political activities, while others believe that the primaries should go on as scheduled. In Anambra, these mixed reactions have fueled confusion among party members, supporters, and the general public.
The uncertainty deepened on Friday afternoon when two conflicting statements emerged from senior figures within the Labour Party in Anambra State regarding the status of the upcoming governorship primaries.
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On the one hand, Peter Okoye, the acting Chairman of the Anambra State chapter of the Labour Party, confirmed that the primaries would no longer take place as scheduled. Speaking to reporters in Awka, the state capital, Okoye emphasized that the Supreme Court’s verdict on Julius Abure’s removal had invalidated the legitimacy of any primaries conducted under the leadership of the previous National Chairman. Okoye further clarified that only the leadership team now headed by Senator Nenadi Usman would have the authority to organize and conduct primaries moving forward.
According to Okoye, the Anambra State chapter’s executive would be convening a meeting on Saturday, April 5, 2025, to determine the next steps in light of the ruling. He urged party members to remain calm and resolute, asserting that the situation would be resolved shortly.
By Okoye’s account, “By virtue of the Supreme Court’s verdict this afternoon, any primary election conducted by any executive outside that led by Senator Nenadi Usman will not stand. The new helmsman and her team would take over the National Secretariat and other structures down the line nationwide immediately. We have already fixed a meeting of the acting Anambra State executive for Saturday to formulate a way forward so as to brief the national Secretariat immediately. We urge all our teeming members and supporters to remain steadfast and unshaken in their support.”
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Okoye’s statement seemed to suggest that the leadership transition at the national level had thrown all existing plans, including the primaries, into jeopardy. His call for calm appeared to be a bid to reassure the party’s supporters that the issue would be resolved in the coming days.
Despite Okoye’s statement, other Labour Party chieftains in Anambra were quick to disagree. Gabriel Okam, another prominent party member in the state, claimed that the primaries would still take place as scheduled. According to Okam, the Supreme Court ruling had no direct impact on the legitimacy of the primaries or the continued leadership of Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party.
Okam strongly rejected any suggestion that the primaries had been suspended or canceled. He dismissed the news as fake, insisting that the primaries would proceed on Saturday, April 5, 2025, as planned.
“The primaries will still hold tomorrow; all the members of the National Working Committee and delegates are already in Anambra, and the two aspirants are gearing up for the primaries tomorrow,” Okam affirmed. He further confirmed that the venue for the primaries would be disclosed by midnight, with proceedings scheduled to commence by 10 a.m. the next day. Okam’s statement was clear: “Any information about the suspension of our primaries is fake. Nobody can stop the people from moving forward. Anambra State Governorship Primary Elections will hold tomorrow in Awka.”
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Okam’s assertion was strongly at odds with the message conveyed by Okoye, and it left many in the party, including supporters and journalists, questioning the true status of the primaries.
As the confusion deepens, attention has turned to the candidates vying for the Labour Party’s gubernatorial ticket in Anambra State. Two aspirants, Chief George Moghalu and Sir John Nwosu, have been officially cleared to participate in the primary election.
This was confirmed by the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, who issued a statement on Saturday, March 29, 2025, outlining the completion of the screening process. The screening committee, led by George Ozodinobi, the Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, had finalized the screening of the two aspirants and confirmed their eligibility to run in the primaries.
The presence of these two candidates, both of whom have substantial political experience in the state, has only added to the stakes of the primaries. With both men eager to secure the Labour Party’s ticket, the contest is expected to be a heated one, despite the uncertainty surrounding the primaries.
The outcome of the Labour Party’s governorship primaries in Anambra is of particular significance, as the state is seen as a key battleground in the 2025 governorship elections. Anambra, which has a history of political volatility and intense competition, is a crucial state for any party hoping to gain political traction in the Southeast region of Nigeria.
The Labour Party, which has gained momentum in recent years, particularly with the rise of its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has set its sights on securing a stronghold in Anambra. The party’s growing popularity among young voters and its appeal as an alternative to the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has made it a force to reckon with in the state.
However, the confusion surrounding the primaries threatens to undermine the party’s prospects. With leadership disputes and differing statements from within the party, many are questioning whether the Labour Party can present a united front in the lead-up to the general elections.
The situation in Anambra underscores the broader challenges facing the Labour Party as it navigates internal conflicts, legal setbacks, and the pressures of preparing for key elections. While party leaders are engaged in heated debates over the interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling, there is a growing sense of urgency to resolve the crisis and move forward with the primaries.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the primaries will proceed as planned or if they will be postponed until the party’s leadership issues are settled. What is certain, however, is that the next few days will be crucial in determining the future of the Labour Party in Anambra State and its prospects in the upcoming elections.
For now, all eyes are on the Labour Party, as its members wait for clarity from the national leadership, and the people of Anambra State anxiously await the outcome of the primaries that could shape the political landscape for years to come.
