19th January, 2025
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The Esther Nenadi- led caretaker committee of Labour Party has rejected court of Appeal ruling affirming Comrade Julius Abure as the authentic national chairman of the party.
The caretaker committee was set up by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to manage the affairs of the party after they removed Abure and his executive from office said this in reaction to Friday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal had affirmed that Abure validly emerged as the national chairman of Labour Party at the party’s national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State held on March 2024.
The appeal court panel, in a judgement read by Hamma Barka dismissed two separate appeals by Usman, the caretaker committee, and the Independent national electoral commission (INEC).
The Court declared that Labour Party’s leadership disputes were non-justiciable and struck out an earlier judgement sacking Abure delivered by the Federal High Court on October 8, 2024.
However, the national Caretaker Committee in a statement by Nenadi Usman, its chairman rejected the appeal court decision.
It also vowed that it would challenge the decision at the Supreme Court.
Usman said the committee under his leadership was entrusted with the responsibility by stakeholders during an emergency convention held on September 4, 2024 to lead Labour Party.
She also accused Abure of unlawfully parading himself as chairman and rejected the court’s verdict while criticizing the Appeal Court’s ruling and insisting on the legitimacy of his committee.
“The Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction and breached the committee’s right to a fair hearing by disregarding their counter-affidavit in the case filed by Abure.
“As the duly recognised National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Secretary of the Labour Party, we find it necessary to set the record straight.
“The Federal High Court erred by entertaining the leadership dispute initiated by Julius Abure and violated our rights by failing to consider our opposition to the suit, the statement read.