Despite governor Alex Otti leading a delegation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to submit the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court ruling over leadership of the Labour Party (LP), the commission is yet to change comrade Julius Abure on its website as the national chairman.
Checks on INEC’s website according to Sun Newspaper, showed that Abure is still the national chairman, Farouk Umar the national secretary, Oluchi Operah the national treasurer, Hadiza Kishimi the national financial secretary and Akingbade Oyelekan the national legal adviser.
Recall that a five-member Supreme Court panel had on April 4, delivered a judgment that struck out the Abuja Court of Appeal ruling that recognised Abure as the LP’s national chairman.
The apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to confirm Abure as chairman of the party because the matter that led to the dispute concerned the party’s leadership, which courts had no jurisdiction.
The court upheld an appeal filed against the judgment by Nenadi Usman, the party’s caretaker chairperson, who was appointed in September 2024.
But Abure’s faction and Usman’s camp have interpreted the judgment differently, with each claiming that it favours them.
But the CTC showed that the Supreme Court overturned the rulings from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had recognised Abure as the chairman.
The apex court ruled that leadership disputes within a political party were internal issues.
The judgment was delivered by a five-member panel, with Justice John Okoro’s lead judgment dismissing Abure’s cross-appeal.
He described it unmeritorious, while accepting the main appeal brought by Senator Usman.
Justice Okoro’s lead judgment, which was read by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, stated: “Both the trial court and the court below lacked jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent’s suit, whose main relief, as observed, was relief number five (5), treated as an appendage.
“As a result, the decisions of both the trial court and the court below, which recognised Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent, are set aside, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is struck out for want of jurisdiction.
“In the same vein, the 1st respondent’s cross-appeal in Appeal No. SC/CV/564/2025, stemming from the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed. Before I am done, may I admonish political parties and their members to endeavour to always allow their constitutions, rules, regulations and guidelines to guide them in choosing their officers as well as candidates.
“That way, incessant internal rifts which always find their way to court would be reduced. If the constitution of a political party has prescribed duration for tenure of office of an officer, such officer should be humble enough to at the expiration of the tenure. In the final analysis, I find this appeal to be meritorious and is hereby allowed. Each party shall bear their respective costs. Appeal allowed.”
Post Views: 179
