Abure: Nenadi Usman-led LP caretaker committee heads to Supreme Court
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party (LP) has said it is going to seek further clarification from the Supreme Court on the leadership dispute in the party.
Sen. Nenadi Usman, Chairman of the Committee set up by the leadership of the party, confirmed this over the weekend to clear the ambiguities in the ruling of the Appeal Court.
A statement issued on Sunday and signed by Usman and the caretaker committee’s secretary, Darlington Nwokocha, said the November 13, 2024, and January 17, 2025 rulings of the Court of Appeal have brought up issues that only the Supreme Court can clarify.
The Caretaker Committee also instructed its supporters across the country to be patient.
On September 4, 2024, the party’s stakeholders comprising its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the sole governor elected on the party’s platform in Abia state, Alex Otti and other elected and critical stakeholders across the country met in Umuahia, Abia state capital and constituted the body to plan an all-inclusive National Convention for the party before Julius Abure’s team went to court.
In its attempt to clarify assumptions, the committee stated the January 17 ruling of the Court of Appeal: “The Court of Appeal affirmed that Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, filed before the Federal High Court by Barr. Julius Abure was a leadership dispute over which the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction.
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“The Federal High Court erred and acted without jurisdiction by entertaining the leadership dispute brought before it by Barr. Julius Abure.
“The Federal High Court violated our right to a fair hearing by failing to consider our Counter-Affidavit filed in opposition to the suit before it.”
The statement added, “It is important to address the erroneous and unsolicited finding by the Court of Appeal that, in a judgment, it delivered on 13th November 2024 in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024; LABOUR PARTY v. OLUSOLA EBISENI & ORS, Julius Abure was ‘admitted as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.’ This finding is completely inconsistent with the substantive judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal.
“For clarity, the judgment delivered on 13th November 2024 in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 pertains to the nomination of a Governorship Candidate for the Ondo State Governorship Election. It has no connection whatsoever to the leadership dispute, which was the crux of the instant suit.
“Furthermore, we reiterate the established legal principle in Nigeria that courts lack jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties, including leadership and management issues. Therefore, we commend the Court of Appeal for upholding the position that the leadership dispute in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is non-justiciable and outside the court’s jurisdiction.
“Finally, we wish to remind the public that on 4th September 2024, the Labour Party constituted a National Caretaker Committee, appointing the undersigned, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, as the National Caretaker Committee Chairman, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as the National Caretaker Committee Secretary. Both have been diligently and effectively carrying out their duties to the admiration of stakeholders and the entire membership of the party.”
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