The leadership crisis within the Labour Party took a dramatic turn on Saturday. A 29-member caretaker committee, formed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, issued a warning to Julius Abure. They urged him to cease presenting himself as the national chairman of the Labour Party.
In a statement released in Abuja, the committee, chaired by Senator Nenadi Usman, affirmed its leadership role in the Labour Party’s affairs. This authority is based on the mandate granted to them by party stakeholders during an emergency convention.
This development comes less than 24 hours after Abure’s victory at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the party’s national convention held in March 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra State, thereby reaffirming his role as the national chairman.
The court, led by Justice Hamma Barka, based its decision on a previous ruling issued on November 13, 2024, in Appeal Number CA/Abj/CV/1172/2024. This case involved the Labour Party as the appellant and Chief Olusola Ebiseni along with the Independent National Electoral Commission as the respondents. On Friday, a three-member panel, chaired by Justice Barka, issued its ruling on two distinct appeals submitted by Senator Esther Usman, the caretaker committee, and INEC. The appellate court determined that the leadership disputes within the Labour Party were not subject to judicial review.
The court also determined that any actions conducted beyond its jurisdiction are null and void. As a result, the judgment issued by the Federal High Court on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite, was declared invalid and subsequently annulled.
The statement, co-signed by Senator Usman and Darlington Nwokocha, the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, expressed criticism of the judgment and firmly asserted their commitment to retaining their mandate.
In addition to various concerns, they contended that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction, committed errors, and infringed upon their right to a fair hearing. The statement read: “As the officially recognized Chairman and Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party, we, on behalf of ourselves and our fellow members, find it necessary to issue this press release to clarify the situation and set the record straight.”
The Court of Appeal has confirmed that Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, brought before the Federal High Court by Julius Abure, pertains to a leadership dispute that falls outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
“The Federal High Court made a mistake and acted beyond its jurisdiction by addressing the leadership dispute presented by Julius Abure. Furthermore, it infringed upon our right to a fair hearing by neglecting to take our counter-affidavit, which opposed the lawsuit, into account.”
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that on September 4, 2024, the Labour Party established a National Caretaker Committee, appointing us as the national chairman and secretary. Since our appointment, we have been dedicated to fulfilling our responsibilities with diligence and effectiveness, earning the respect and approval of stakeholders as well as the entire party membership.”
