A chieftain of the Labour Party, Patrick Utomi, has urged stakeholders of the party to work towards producing leadership that would promote the party’s ideals.

Professor Utomi stated this while reacting to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the party’s leadership crisis, on Friday.

Naija News reported that the apex court, in its ruling, struck out an Appeal Court’s ruling that recognized Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.

The court dismissed Abure’s cross-appeal for lacking merit and upheld Nenadi Usman‘s appeal on the leadership crisis.

Reacting to the ruling, on Saturday, Utomi told the party’s stakeholders that the efforts of the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Waba, Wale Okuniyi and himself produced the surge that powered the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

He emphasized the need for them to uphold the social democratic ideology of the party.

It read: “As the leadership of the Labour Party looks to reconstruct its house and reconcile all, let me remind stakeholders of the motives that brought then NLC President, Ayuba Waba and I, with Wale Okuniyi as ground engineer, together, to work a process that produced the Labour surge which powered Peter Obi and the Obidients in 2023.

“It was an expression of a desperate need to save Nigeria through rejecting machine politics that just seeks to capture power. We learnt in 2015 that just capturing power is without any use unless shared values and a collective accountability frame was firmly established ab initio.

“As Ayuba Waba firmly expressed in his speech at an event marking my birthday on February 6th 2022, we desired to change the course of electoral democracy in Nigeria by building political parties as platforms for setting a clear path for national advance.

“The party we wanted to build should then recruit people of character, competence, compassion, and commitment, who are champions of service to the people; and then form, prune, and align their disposition to entrepreneurial social democratic principles that put people first. while seeking rapid economic growth to reduce poverty by creating jobs in a competitive economy with social harmony.

“In the many hours of meetings in Ayuba Waba’s office at the NLC offices in Abuja which I chaired, I never hid my admiration for Scandinavian free enterprise models in which education and health care were radically socialized, universal and geared to production.

“Finding people whose ways align to these foundational principles of that third force we set out to build is critical for impact.”

The leadership battle within the Labour Party took a new turn on Friday after the Supreme Court set aside a previous ruling that recognized the Anambra convention, which ratified the re-election of Julius Abure’s National Working Committee.

In a unanimous judgment, the five-member panel of the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision, which had recognized Abure’s leadership. The Court emphasized that matters concerning party leadership are internal affairs, and as such, the judiciary does not have jurisdiction over them. The Court also noted that based on the submissions presented, Abure’s tenure had expired, and as a result, it dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Abure’s faction of the party.

While media outlets widely reported that the Supreme Court had sacked Abure, the Labour Party leadership quickly issued a statement to clarify that the judgment had been misinterpreted. National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, responded in Abuja, praising the judgment as a validation of the party’s position that political matters are internal affairs.

Later, the party held a press conference where Ifoh reiterated that the judgment did not mean the dismissal of Abure. He emphasized that the Supreme Court’s ruling upheld previous judgments from the High Court and Court of Appeal, affirming that party structures, including the leadership, should be decided internally by the party.

“The Supreme Court judgment didn’t sack Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure. Rather, it rightly upheld the preceding and accumulated High Court and appeal court judgments upholding the immutability of responsibility of Labour Party structures to choose its leaders,” Ifoh clarified.

He pointed out that the judgment also did not negate the Appeal Court ruling in Labour Party vs Ebiseni and others, which reaffirmed Abure’s leadership as valid and subsisting.

“The judgment is still valid and subsisting and has not been appealed,” Ifoh stated. He also underscored that Abure remains the Labour Party National Chairman and that the party’s constitution outlines who has the authority to call national conventions and meetings.

LP’s National Legal Adviser, Kehinde Edun, further clarified that the Court’s statement did not imply Abure’s tenure had expired. He explained that the judgment only discussed the general principles of political party leadership, emphasizing that once a term ends, the official can either step down or seek re-election. Edun refuted the claim that the Court had called for a caretaker committee, stating that the Labour Party constitution does not recognize such committees.

Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, Ayo Olorunfemi, also dismissed critics of Abure’s leadership, emphasizing that the party’s constitution does not allow for caretaker committees. He vowed that Abure would remain in office until his tenure ended in 2028, mocking those who spread false reports about his removal.

Meanwhile, the Acting National Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, has hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“We always know a day like this will come. We have done everything to give Abure a soft landing for him to leave the party leadership quietly in vain.

“But with this judgement, he has no choice than to leave,” he told The PUNCH.

On how the NLC will handle the affairs of the party when Abure steps down, Ndubuaku said some members who were permanent members on the board of the LP would set up a caretaker panel.

Also reacting, the National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party, supported by figures like former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti, welcomed the Supreme Court ruling as a victory for the rule of law.

The committee’s chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the judgment as a significant step forward for Nigerian democracy. She called for unity within the party, urging members to focus on advancing the Labour Party’s mission of creating a just, equitable, and people-centered Nigeria.

“The Labour Party remains one indivisible family, steadfast in its mission to create a New Nigeria founded on justice, equity, and people-centred governance,” Usman said, encouraging party members to stay committed to democratic principles during the transition.

[NaijaNews]

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied rumours suggesting he has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called the claims false, malicious, and a “political hatchet job.”

The clarification was made in a statement released Friday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, following fresh reports circulated on social media alleging Atiku’s exit from the opposition party.

“We ordinarily would not waste words on faceless social media platforms like the so-called ‘Adamawa Happenings,’” the statement began.

“However, in light of inquiries from concerned Nigerians and credible members of the press, we are compelled to set the record straight: His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has not — we repeat, has not — resigned from the PDP. He remains a steadfast, bonafide, and loyal member of the party.”Nigerian cultural tours

According to the statement, the rumour originated from a Facebook page accused of spreading falsehoods and allegedly operated by political actors intent on creating confusion.Political candidate merchandise

“The source of this baseless rumour is a Facebook page peddling falsehoods, evidently orchestrated by desperate political operatives with nothing but mischief and confusion on their agenda,” Ibe said.

He described the publication as deliberate disinformation designed to mislead the public and stir tension among Atiku’s supporters. “This is not just fake news — it is a crude, shameless political hatchet job,” he said.

The statement called on the public, especially Atiku’s followers, to ignore the rumour. “We urge Nigerians, especially supporters of the Waziri Adamawa, to disregard this malicious fabrication. It is a vile, vexatious ploy that deserves nothing but contempt,” it added.Political candidate merchandise

Atiku, the statement concluded, remains committed to the PDP and the democratic hopes of Nigerians. “Atiku Abubakar remains committed to the ideals of the PDP and to the democratic aspirations of the Nigerian people.”

This marks the second time in recent weeks that Atiku’s camp has refuted similar claims, including a previous rumour linking him to a defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Bread is a staple food for many in Northern Nigeria, serving as a primary breakfast choice across diverse ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups. With bakeries operating in nearly every state, the industry is vital to both regional and national economy.

According to Statista.com (a global data and business intelligence platform), Nigeria’s bread market is projected to generate $18.81 billion in revenue by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 11.04% (CAGR 2025-2030), revenue surged by 14.3% compared to 2023.

In recent years, the price of flour, bread’s key ingredient skyrocketed, reaching over NGN 80,000 per bag in markets across Kano and other northern states. This forced bakeries to raise prices to cover production costs. However, flour prices have since dropped significantly.

Despite this, bread prices remain stubbornly high, sparking concerns among Kano residents.

Investigating the issue, DAILY POST conducted a market survey at Singa Market, a major food distribution hub in Kano and Northern Nigeria.

Flour prices have dropped, but bread prices haven’t

In an interview, a flour distributor in Kano, Usaini Rabiu confirmed the price drop. “Since mid-2024, flour prices have fallen significantly. We now sell a bag for NGN 55,000 to NGN 56,000. There is ample supply, and all major companies are producing. We urge retailers to pass these reductions on to consumers.”

A price check in various stores within the market confirmed this claim. Following this, we visited a well-known bakery in Kano to understand why bread prices had not adjusted accordingly.

A bakery manager, speaking anonymously, insisted that their prices had already been reduced.

“A loaf that previously sold for NGN 1,300 now costs NGN 900, while the NGN 1,000 loaf is now NGN 700. We adjusted our prices as soon as flour costs dropped. However, I’m shocked to see bread being sold at inflated prices elsewhere.”

Middlemen under fire

The manager blamed middlemen for the price inconsistencies, saying “We sell a loaf to distributors for NGN 900, yet I see the same loaf selling for NGN 1,400 in retail shops. When I investigated, I found out that distributors sell to retailers for NGN 1,200, making a profit of NGN 300 per loaf—more than what we, the producers, make!”

A tea and bread vendor, Kamalu Ishaq, echoed this frustration. He lamented that despite flour prices dropping, bread prices have not followed suit.

“There has been no real price relief since flour costs spiked nearly two years ago. If we make any profit on bread, it’s barely NGN 100 per loaf. A NGN 1,000 loaf is sold to us at NGN 900 by distributors. When we complain, they just tell us to be patient, even though we can clearly see that flour prices have dropped.”

The blame game continues

The consistently high retail prices suggest that middlemen and distribution chains play a significant role in keeping bread costs elevated.

However, Abubakar Garba Indabawa, a bread distributor with years of experience, refuted this claim.

“Nowadays, bakeries require full payment upfront. Unlike before, when we could take bread on credit and pay after selling, we now buy at our own risk. The profit margin is minimal -usually no more than NGN 100 per loaf. For every NGN 10,000 worth of bread, distributors make NGN 1,000 in profit. In some cases, we don’t even earn that much.”

What’s the solution?

As this blame game continues, consumers—especially low-income earners bear the brunt. It remains unclear who is truly responsible for the price discrepancy.

Amid growing frustrations, there is a rising call for regulatory measures to ensure that reductions in essential commodity prices, such as flour, translate into lower costs for bread and other bakery products.

[DailyPost]