On Wednesday, key figures from the opposition Labour Party, including its 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, led a march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The delegation was welcomed by INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun.
The party leaders urged INEC to officially recognize Nenadi Usman as the Labour Party’s National Chairman. This demand follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned a Court of Appeal decision, which had previously affirmed Julius Abure as the party’s chairman. The apex court’s unanimous judgment, delivered last week by a five-member panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro, declared that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to rule on Abure’s leadership, as the case fundamentally revolved around internal party disputes.
The Supreme Court upheld an appeal filed by Senator Esther Usman and another party member, deeming it meritorious, while dismissing a cross-appeal from Abure’s faction as lacking merit. During the march, Governor Otti presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment, emphasizing its recognition of Nenadi Usman’s leadership and the dismissal of Abure’s claim.
Quoting the ruling, Otti stated, “The decisions of both the higher court and the court below recognizing Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman are hereby set aside, and suit number FXC is struck out for want of jurisdiction.” He further noted that the Labour Party faction under Abure was dismissed in line with the same judgment.
Otti seized the moment to advise political parties and their members to strictly adhere to their constitutions, rules, and regulations when selecting leaders and candidates. “If the constitution of a political party prescribes a tenure duration for an officer, such an officer should humbly step down at its expiration,” he remarked, warning that failure to do so fuels internal conflicts that often end up in court.
The Supreme Court concluded that the appeal was meritorious, allowing it while ordering all parties to bear their respective costs. The judgment, signed by Justice John Inyang Okoro, marks a significant shift in the Labour Party’s leadership tussle.
