The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to take a definitive stance on the leadership tussle within the Labour Party following the Supreme Court’s recent judgment.
Multiple sources within the commission told DAILY GAZETTE on Thursday that the decision-making process is still ongoing.
“No decision has been made yet on the Supreme Court judgment of the Labour Party,” one official disclosed under the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly.
Another official explained that INEC is awaiting a full understanding of the court’s intent before making any pronouncement.
“The commission needs to obtain a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgement, study it carefully to determine what the court intended, before arriving at an informed decision,” the source said.
The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered on April 4, 2025, nullified an earlier judgment by the Court of Appeal that had recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
It ruled that the appellate court lacked jurisdiction over internal party affairs.
However, the judgment has sparked divergent interpretations.
Julius Abure maintains that the verdict does not remove him from his position, while a caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman insists that Abure has been effectively removed.
Another factional figure, Lamidi Apapa, has also re-emerged, laying claim to the party’s leadership.
Seeking to resolve the confusion, an LP delegation including Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, met with INEC officials in Abuja on April 9.
During the meeting, Otti presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment to the commission.
The visit aimed to reinforce communication between the party and INEC, and to clarify the party’s leadership.
INEC National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, received the delegation alongside other senior officials.
Olumekun assured the visitors of the commission’s dedication to impartiality.
He emphasized INEC’s “commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law” in discharging its duties.
Despite this effort at clarification, Abure insisted on Thursday that he remains the legitimate chairman of the Labour Party.
He addressed the media in Abuja through the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.
“The position of the Labour Party after critically reviewing the Supreme Court judgment delivered on the 4th of April 2025 stated as follows: The Supreme Court, contrary to speculations, actually reaffirmed the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi,” Ifoh stated.
Citing legal precedent, he continued, “The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who had joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2015) LPELR-24588 (SC).”
He further warned: “Consequently, we admonished Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, and Peter Obi, former presidential Candidate of our party in the 2023 General Election, who are the protagonists of the current division in the Party, to hear the Supreme Court loud and clear.”
Abure argued that the party had complied with all legal requirements prior to the convention in question.
“The Supreme Court admonished party members to respect the Constitution of their party when it stated thus; Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members,” he said.
Two weeks earlier, Obi and Otti’s faction presented the 48-page Certified True Copy of the ruling during a separate LP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.
They claimed it settled any lingering misinterpretations of the court’s decision.
Present at the gathering were Obi, Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha, National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee.
Also in attendance were Kenneth Okonkwo, members of both the National and Abia State Assemblies, and representatives of the Obidient Movement Worldwide.
Efforts to reach Tony Akeni, spokesperson for the Usman-led faction, were unsuccessful.
He requested more time due to health reasons and promised to respond later, but remained unreachable at press time.
Similarly, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, could not be contacted.
