General
Court Verdict on Labour Party Leadership Excites CNPP
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The judgement of Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, affirming Ms Esther Nenadi Usman as the authentic chairman of the Labour Party, has been applauded by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).
The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, comes after the Supreme Court had earlier ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Ms Usman as the leader of the opposition party, and not Mr Julius Abure.
In a statement today, CNPP described the lower court judgment as “a clear victory for constitutionalism, internal party democracy, and the supremacy of the rule of law.”
According to the group, the judgment, which it noted was “firmly anchored on the binding decision of the Supreme Court,” sends “an unmistakable signal that no individual ambition, factional interest, or political manipulation can lawfully override the authority of party constitutions and established democratic procedures.”
“The CNPP warmly welcomes and commends the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the valid National Chairman of the Labour Party and ordered INEC to recognise the Nenadi Usman–led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate authority of the party pending the conduct of a national convention,” the statement, signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr James Ezema, stated.
The group further praised the judiciary for what it described as courage and integrity in handling the matter, stressing that the ruling stands out in a challenging political climate.
“The CNPP particularly salutes the courage, clarity, and integrity displayed by the judiciary in this matter,” the statement read. “In a political environment where undue influence, intimidation, and coercion are often deployed to bend institutions to partisan interests, this judgment stands out as a reassuring testament to judicial independence.”
The CNPP warned that Nigeria’s democracy would remain endangered if the judiciary failed to act boldly in the face of pressure. “Unless the judiciary continues to act with boldness and fearlessness—resisting political pressure and vested interests—Nigeria’s democracy will regrettably continue to suffer stagnation and retardation,” it stated.
Addressing the broader implications of the ruling, the organisation stressed that democracy cannot thrive where court orders are ignored or selectively obeyed.
“Democracy cannot deepen where court orders are treated with contempt or subjected to selective obedience,” the statement said, adding that it also “cannot flourish where party constitutions are trivialised and internal democracy sacrificed on the altar of personal control and selfish ambition.”
It said the Labour Party leadership crisis, now resolved by the courts, should serve as a warning to all political actors.
“The leadership crisis in the Labour Party, now decisively addressed by the courts, must serve as a lesson to all political parties and actors that impunity is incompatible with democratic governance,” it declared.
The CNPP also issued a broader call to political parties and leaders across the country to recommit to democratic principles. “The CNPP therefore calls on all political parties and political leaders in Nigeria to shun selfish interests and recommit themselves to politics guided strictly by rules, principles, and respect for party constitutions,” the statement said.
It emphasised that political parties must respect internal structures and collective decisions. “Political parties must uphold their internal organs, respect collective decisions, and recognise that the supremacy of the party is superior to the ambitions of any individual or group,” the CNPP noted, stressing that “only in this way can parties earn public trust and contribute meaningfully to democratic consolidation.”
Turning to implementation of the judgment, the CNPP urged the electoral body and other authorities to act without delay. “We also urge INEC and all relevant authorities to give full, immediate, and unambiguous effect to the judgment of the court,” it said, warning that “the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral and democratic system depends not only on sound judicial pronouncements but also on their faithful and timely implementation.”
It congratulated Ms Usman and members of the Labour Party Caretaker Committee, while urging restraint and inclusiveness in the discharge of their duties.
“The CNPP congratulates Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and members of the Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party and urges them to discharge their mandate with restraint, inclusiveness, and strict adherence to the party constitution, as they work towards a credible, transparent, and unifying national convention,” the statement added.
Concluding, the CNPP reaffirmed its belief that strong institutions and principled leadership are essential to national progress. “Nigeria’s democracy can only be strengthened through strong institutions, respect for the rule of law, and principled political leadership,” it said, describing the court judgment as “a step in the right direction” that “must be defended by all democrats.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four others over failure to meet the constitutional requirements for political parties in the country.
In a judgment, Justice Lifu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties, having failed to secure 25 per cent of the votes in the last general elections in compliance with the provisions of the law.
The five political parties include ADC, Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Lifu, who earlier dismissed all the multiple preliminary objections filed by the defendants, ordered INEC not to allow the parties to participate in the subsequent elections, including the 2027 general polls, having failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
A group, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, had filed the suit against the five political parties.
The plaintiff, who also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in the suit, named INEC as the first defendant.
The forum argued that the affected political parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance.
It contended that political parties were required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain relevant under the law.
It therefore urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, insisting that none of the defendants had effectively countered the arguments.
This development comes as the ADC announced former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to its presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for the 2027 general election.
It said that the decision followed extensive consultations with party leaders, coalition partners, youth and women stakeholders, and representatives of all geopolitical zones.
“The National Leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), after extensive consultations with party leaders, coalition partners, youth and women stakeholders, and representatives of all geopolitical zones, is proud to announce that Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been selected as the vice-presidential candidate of our great party for the 2027 presidential election,” the party disclosed in a statement on Monday.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has reaffirmed that the anticipated Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS) will become operational by the fourth quarter of 2026.
According to a statement by the General Manager of Corporate Communications Division at NCDMB, Mr Obinna Ezeobi, ahead of the target date for the park located at Emeyal-1, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the NCDMB is set to install a 2.5-megawatt Com- pressed Natural Gas (CNG) power plant at the park.
He added that the power plant is one of the key steps to getting the facility operational, as it will provide a reliable and sustainable electricity supply to support industrial operations within the park.
Mr Ezeobi gave the assurance after an assessment visit to the facility by key personnel of the Board.
According to the statement, the tour revealed significant progress across key infrastructure and support systems designed to position the facility as a major industrial hub for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme was conceived to deepen Nigerian Content by providing a conducive environment for the manufacturing of components, equipment and other inputs required by the oil and gas industry, while creating employment opportunities for over 2000 persons when fully operational, and stimulating economic growth.
The oil and gas park scheme is a purpose-built industrial park with manufacturing shop floors and factories, warehouses, training centres, mini estates, truck parking and holding spaces, fire stations, administrative blocks, and security services, among other things, and is a critical initiative of the board geared towards in-country capacity development through local manufacture of equipment components and spare parts required in the oil and gas industry.
Six parks have been conceptualised and are located in different parts of the country, and they form a key part of NCDMB’s strategy for sustainable local content development and industrialisation. Two of the parks at Odukpani, Cross River State, and at Emeyal 1, Bayelsa State, have been completed, and interested companies have begun to take up shop floors, preparatory to the commencement of operations.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A partnership for the integration of Onafriq’s leading pan-African payment network into Yuno’s orchestration platform has been entered into between the two organisations.
This collaboration gives merchants a single connection to Africa’s most expansive payments infrastructure, bringing the continent’s most expansive payments infrastructure to merchants worldwide.
Through this integration, Yuno’s clients gain instant access to Onafriq’s network spanning 43 African markets, nearly one billion mobile wallets, 500 million bank accounts, and 2,000 cross-border payment corridors, all through Yuno’s single, developer-friendly API.
The partnership is part of Yuno’s broader strategy to build a truly global platform that connects merchants to every meaningful payment method and network, regardless of geography. Following successful expansion in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, Africa is a key pillar of Yuno’s next phase of growth.
For Onafriq, the integration with Yuno extends its reach to an entirely new segment of global merchants who now benefit from a streamlined entry point into African markets. The partnership reinforces Onafriq’s mission of making borders matter less, bringing together mobile money operators, banks, fintechs, and enterprises into one connected payment ecosystem.
“Africa represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities in global commerce, and yet too many merchants are still locked out by payment infrastructure that wasn’t built for scale.
“Our partnership with Onafriq changes that. By bringing their unmatched African network into our infrastructure layer, we’re giving our clients a single path to a continent-wide ecosystem with the reliability, compliance, and local depth they need to grow with confidence,” the chief executive of Yuno, Mr Juan Pablo Ortega, stated.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Onafriq, Mr Dare Okoudjou, said, “Africa’s payment landscape has never lacked ambition or momentum; what it needed is the right infrastructure that matches its pace.
“Our partnership with Yuno changes the equation for global merchants who want to be part of this growth story. Through a single connection, global merchants can reach consumers and businesses across Africa more seamlessly than ever before, while more people across the continent gain access to the digital economy on their own terms. For us, this is what making borders matter less looks like in practice.”
Onafriq’s infrastructure supports the full payment lifecycle, from real-time disbursements and omnichannel collections to card issuance, treasury management, and stablecoin settlement, all underpinned by local regulatory licences and ISO 27001 and CMML3-certified security.
For Yuno’s merchant base, this means the ability to pay out to mobile wallets, bank accounts, or cash pickup points, and accept payments across channels, without managing multiple integrations or compliance frameworks independently.
The integration is now live and available across Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda. Yuno’s clients can access Onafriq’s capabilities, including mobile money disbursements and collections, card issuance, and FX treasury services, directly from the Yuno dashboard with no additional contract or integration required.
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