The 29-man caretaker committee set up by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has told Julius Abure to stop parading himself as national chairman of the Labour Party [LP].
This is in spite of the ruling of the Court of Appeal affirming Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
The committee issued the warning in a statement by its Head, Senator Nenadi Usman, and National Secretary, Darlington Nwokocha.
In the statement issued on Saturday, a day after the ruling of the Court of Appeal, the Caretaker Committee said: “As the duly recognised National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Secretary of the Labour Party, we, on behalf of ourselves and other members deem it necessary to issue this press release to clarify and set the records straight.
“The Court of Appeal affirmed that Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, filed before the Federal High Court by Julius Abure, was a leadership dispute, over which the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction.
“The Federal High Court erred and acted without jurisdiction by entertaining the leadership dispute brought before it by Julius Abure.
“The Federal High Court also violated our right to a fair hearing by failing to consider our Counter-Affidavit filed in opposition to the suit before it.
“Finally, we wish to remind the public that on 4th September 2024, the Labour Party constituted a National Caretaker Committee, appointing us as the national chairman and secretary.
“Both have been diligently and effectively carrying out their duties to the admiration of stakeholders and the entire membership of the party.”
The Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Hamma Barka relied on the judgment earlier delivered on November 13, 2024 in appeal number: CA/Abj/CV/1172/2024, between the LP (appellant) against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and Independent National Electoral Commission (respondents) to make the declaration.
The three-member panel made the declaration in the judgement on two separate appeals filed by Usman, the caretaker committee, and INEC.
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