LP bigwigs march to INEC, want Usman recognised as chair

On Wednesday, opposition Labour Party leaders marched to the country’s capital, Abuja, to visit the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) headquarters.

Recall that a few days ago, the Supreme Court reversed the Abuja Court of Appeal’s decision affirming Abure as the LP’s National Chairman.

INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun welcomed the members, who were led by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi.

The delegation requested that the electoral body recognise Nenadi Usman as the chairman days after the Supreme Court’s judgement.

In a unanimous judgement, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the LP, having earlier found that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.

The court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Ester Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious before subsequently proceeding to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the LP for being unmeritorious.

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Similarly, the party had earlier held its National Executive Council meeting in the capital, Abuja.

The event takes place in the midst of the turmoil surrounding the recent ruling by the Supreme Court over the Labour Party’s national chairperson.

Former Finance Minister Nenadi Usman served as its chair in an event which took place on Wednesday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti, together with 2023 LP presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed, were present.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives who are members of the party were also present.

Also present were the governorship candidates of the party in Edo and Imo States, Olumide Akpata and Athan Achonu, respectively.

Part of its resolution was to review its governorship primaries for Anambra State and make its position known.