The leadership crisis within the Labour Party deepened on Saturday as the 29-member caretaker committee, led by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, rejected the recent Court of Appeal ruling that validated Julius Abure’s position as the party’s national chairman.
In a statement released in Abuja, the committee, headed by Senator Nenadi Usman, reaffirmed their authority to manage the party’s affairs, citing the mandate given to them by stakeholders at an emergency convention.
They urged Abure to stop presenting himself as the national chairman.
This comes just a day after the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld Abure’s position, ruling that the Labour Party’s March 2024 national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, was valid.
The court also dismissed the previous judgment of the Federal High Court, which had invalidated Abure’s leadership.
The appellate court, led by Justice Hamma Barka, declared that the leadership dispute was not justiciable and therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction, rendering the Federal High Court’s ruling null and void.
However, the caretaker committee expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment, claiming the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction and violated their right to a fair hearing.
The committee further insisted that their mandate remains legitimate, as confirmed by the September 2024 constitution of the National Caretaker Committee.
The statement, signed by Senator Usman and National Secretary Darlington Nwokocha, emphasized their ongoing leadership role and commitment to serving the party and its members.
