Labour Party Crisis Deepens as Caretaker Committee Rejects Appeal Court’s Ruling on Abure’s Reinstatement
The internal leadership dispute within the Labour Party escalated on Saturday when the 29-member caretaker committee, formed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, criticized the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal that reinstated Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.
In a statement issued from Abuja, the committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, asserted that they continue to oversee the Labour Party’s operations, following the mandate given to them by party stakeholders during an emergency convention.
This statement follows closely on the heels of Abure’s legal victory on Friday, when the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the party’s March 2024 national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, affirming his position as the national chairman. Justice Hamma Barka, who presided over the case, referenced a previous judgment from November 13, 2024, in an appeal between the Labour Party and Chief Olusola Ebiseni, alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The appellate court ruled on two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Usman, the caretaker committee, and INEC, asserting that the Labour Party’s leadership matters were not subject to judicial review. Consequently, the ruling dismissed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court made on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite, which had previously backed Abure.
In their statement, the caretaker committee clarified their position: “As the duly appointed National Caretaker Committee, with us as the national chairman and secretary, we are compelled to issue this statement to set the record straight. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the leadership dispute brought by Julius Abure to the Federal High Court was outside its jurisdiction, and that court had no authority to hear the case.”
They further argued that the Federal High Court had made an error in entertaining Abure’s leadership dispute and had disregarded their counter-affidavit, which had been submitted in opposition to the case. The committee reminded the public that on September 4, 2024, the Labour Party had officially established the caretaker committee, and they have since been performing their duties effectively, gaining the support and approval of party members and stakeholders alike.
