Labour Party Crisis Deepens: Abure's Leadership Validated by Court, Caretaker Committee Threatens Appeal

Labour Party Crisis Deepens: Abure's Leadership Validated by Court, Caretaker Committee Threatens Appeal

The Labour Party (LP) has been plunged into further turmoil following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that validated the leadership of Julius Abure as the party's national chairman. The court's decision, delivered last week, upheld the contentious national convention that returned Abure and his National Working Committee (NWC) to office.

However, the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee, which has been at odds with Abure, has vowed to appeal the judgment. In a meeting with the party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, the committee decided to challenge the court's decision.

Obiora Ifoh, the pro-Abure National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, has dismissed the caretaker committee's threat, stating that they lack the locus standi to appeal the judgment. According to Ifoh, neither Obi nor the committee was a party to the case, and therefore, they cannot appeal.

"The caretaker committee is not a body known to the Labour Party constitution. It is not a body known to the electoral law or the Constitution of Nigeria. So, they do not even have a locus," Ifoh said in an interview with Punch on Sunday.

Ifoh emphasized that the Abure-led NWC is not concerned about the threat to appeal, citing Nigerian law, which states that only parties to a suit can appeal a judgment. "It would be unfortunate if they toe that line because you can’t appeal a judgment that you are not a party to," he added.

Furthermore, Ifoh pointed out that the Labour Party has been in existence and has navigated crises in the past, resolving them in the interest of the party. He noted that if anyone dislikes the leadership, they will have to wait until its term expires in four years. "For now, the leadership of Julius Abure will expire in 2028. That is what the law has said," he stated.

The Federal High Court's ruling has brought to the forefront the longstanding dispute within the Labour Party. The ongoing crisis has sparked concerns about the party's stability and ability to effectively participate in future elections. As the situation unfolds, one thing is clear: the battle for control of the Labour Party is far from over.

The Labour Party's constitution stipulates that Abure's leadership term will expire in 2028. This development has significant implications for the party's future, particularly in the lead-up to the next general elections. The Abure-led NWC remains resolute, while the caretaker committee's next move remains uncertain.