Supreme Court judgement CTC affirmed Usman’s position as Labour Party’s chairman – Governor Otti

Supporters of the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Labour Party (LP) shared their excitement in Abuja on Wednesday, April 9, following the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment that settled the party’s leadership dispute.

Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, who read excerpts from the court document, confirmed that the apex court upheld the legitimacy of Senator Usman’s leadership. He made the announcement during the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and expanded stakeholders summit held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

The event was attended by key party figures, including the LP’s national leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. It came just two days after a factional national chairman of the party, Barrister Julius Abure, issued a warning that both Otti and Obi would face sanctions for alleged anti-party activities and participation in what he termed a parallel NEC meeting.

Addressing the gathering, Otti stated, “The Supreme Court has affirmed that the plaintiff (Usman and others) were right in their appeal and went further to admonish politicians to respect the tenures of office as stipulated in their respective political party constitutions.”

He criticised Abure for attempting to cling to the position of national chairman despite the expiration of his tenure and growing resistance from within the party. Otti recounted a meeting with Abure in which the latter initially claimed he did not want any leadership role. According to Otti, the party offered him the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), but Abure later reversed course, insisting on continuing in office.

Otti emphasized the need for due process within the party, saying, “The correct procedure if you still want to be national chairman is to start from the ward congress, state congress, zonal congress, where the delegates would emerge for the national convention, and every member is free to contest.”

The leadership crisis in the Labour Party has intensified in recent months, with parallel factions laying claim to the national structure. The Supreme Court’s judgment, supporters say, brings clarity to the leadership tussle and provides a legal foundation for the party to reorganize ahead of future political engagements.

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