The Labour Party’s (LP) Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has announced its plan to petition the Supreme Court for more information regarding the party’s leadership crisis.
The committee claims that this is due to the ambiguities in the Appeal Court’s decisions from November 13, 2024, and January 17, 2025.
The verdicts were viewed by the Julius Abure-led section of the party as a confirmation of its leadership role.
The LP Caretaker Committee clarified that the Supreme Court alone could settle the matter in a statement co-signed by Senators Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha, who are the committee’s chairman and secretary, respectively.
It stated: “The Caretaker Committee has directed their lawyer to address the issues raised by the Court of Appeal’s November 13, 2024, and January 17, 2025 rulings, which only the Supreme Court can resolve.
“As a result, the Caretaker Committee has advised its followers nationwide to exercise patience.”
Recall that on September 4, 2024, the party’s key players, including Peter Obi, its 2023 presidential candidate; Dr Alex Otti, the only governor elected on the party’s platform in Abia State; and other elected and important players nationwide, convened in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, and established a body to organise a comprehensive national convention for the party before the Barr. Julius Abure-led team’s court appearance.
Usman responded to the court’s most recent ruling by contesting the Appeal Court’s authority to consider Abure’s appeal, arguing that the issue was within the party’s internal affairs.
“On behalf of ourselves and other members of the national caretaker committee, we feel it is necessary to issue this press release to clarify and set the records straight,” she stated, claiming that she was the officially recognised head of the national caretaker committee and the secretary of the Labour Party.
“First off, on January 17, 2025, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Abuja Division, in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/1217/2024; Sen. Nenadi Esther Usman & ANOR v. Labour Party & ANOR, unconditionally granted our appeal against the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, ruling in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, handed down on October 8, 2024, by Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite.
“The following were upheld by the Court of Appeal in its ruling: Lack of jurisdiction: The Court of Appeal upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling that Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, which was brought before it by Barr. Julius Abure, was a leadership dispute that the court lacked the authority to hear.
“Federal High Court Error: By considering the leadership dispute that Barr. Julius Abure brought before it, the Federal High Court acted without jurisdiction and committed an error.”Fair Hearing Violated: By neglecting to take into account our counter-affidavit submitted in opposition to the lawsuit before it, the Federal High Court infringed upon our right to a fair hearing.
“Therefore, due to lack of jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal dismissed the suit that was filed before the Federal High Court.”The Court of Appeal’s incorrect and uninvited conclusion that Julius Abure was “admitted as the National Chairman of the Labour Party” in a ruling it rendered on November 13, 2024, in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024; Labour Party v. Olusola Ebiseni & ORS, must be addressed.
“This finding is entirely at odds with the substantive ruling rendered by the Court of Appeal.”
