Why Are You Still Parading Yourself? — Gov Otti Fires At Abure

The reaction followed the circulation of a photograph showing Abure presenting a Labour Party governorship nomination form to former National Vice Chairman of the party, Ceekay Igara, in the presence of other party members.

Speaking to journalists, Igara confirmed receiving the nomination form and said the move was part of preparations ahead of pending court rulings relating to the party’s leadership crisis.

According to him, stakeholders were acting cautiously to avoid creating a vacuum should the courts eventually rule in Abure’s favour.

He said, “We have two matters, one at the Supreme Court and the other at the Federal High Court. If we say Abure should be docile, all the 33 states that conducted congresses will just go into extinction. If the Supreme Court later gives him the structure and primaries have closed, what happens?”

However, Governor Otti, through his Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Ukoha, questioned the legitimacy of Abure’s continued claim to the party’s national chairmanship.

Speaking in an interview with PUNCH, Ukoha noted that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had recognised Senator Nenadi Usman as the interim leader of the Labour Party pending a convention.

He argued that Abure’s actions contradicted existing court rulings and maintained that the Labour Party had already moved beyond his leadership.

According to Otti’s aide, INEC could not validly supervise any electoral process conducted under Abure’s authority, adding that the electoral body had aligned itself with the court-recognised leadership structure.

Ukoha stated, “I think Abure is in a better position to explain the grounds on which he is still parading himself after a Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that Senator Nenadi Usman was the interim leader of the Labour Party before the convention.

“So, the party has moved on. INEC has also complied with the directive of a competent court of jurisdiction. That is contempt of court on the part of Julius Abure.

“It is up to Abure to explain to Nigerians why he is issuing nomination forms against the order of a competent court.