Political Turmoil: Otti And Obi’s Faction In LP Refuses To Accept Court Verdict, Announces Appeal

Political Turmoil: Otti And Obi’s Faction In LP Refuses To Accept Court Verdict, Announces AppealThe chairperson of the Labour Party (LP) caretaker committee, Nenadi Usman, has announced intentions to appeal a court ruling that upheld Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.

On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Emeka Nwite, affirmed Abure’s leadership and validated the March 2024 Nnewi convention that elected the current LP executives. The court also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Abure as the legitimate chairman of the party.

In a brief statement following the ruling, Usman noted that the caretaker committee, established after the case began, decided to join the lawsuit after receiving a thorough briefing. “This evening, I met with Mr. Peter Obi, Governor Alex Otti, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha, the Secretary of the LP Caretaker Committee. We discussed today’s judgment. While the case predates the creation of the caretaker committee, we decided to join after receiving full details. As a result, we have resolved to appeal the decision,” Usman stated.

She urged Labour Party members to remain calm and support ongoing efforts to promote reconciliation and unity within the party.

The internal strife within the Labour Party escalated in February when Oluchi Oparah, the party’s national treasurer, accused Julius Abure of misappropriating N3.5 billion. Abure denied the allegations and threatened legal action, but the claims prompted calls for his removal from some party members.

In April 2023, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court issued an order restraining Abure and other national officers, including Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Oparah, from acting as party leaders. Following a stakeholders’ meeting convened by Governor Alex Otti in Umuahia on September 4, a 29-member caretaker committee was formed, chaired by former Senator Nenadi Usman. The meeting was attended by prominent Labour Party figures, including Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

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