Obi vs Abure: INEC studies Supreme Court judgment
The Independent National Electoral Commission has not yet made a decision regarding the leadership of the Labour Party following a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Multiple sources in the commission confirmed to The PUNCH on Thursday that the commission was still reviewing the court’s judgment.
“No decision has been made yet on the Supreme Court judgment of the Labour Party,” an official said anonymously for lack of authorisation to speak to the press.
Another official said a decision would only be taken after INEC had studied the Certified True Copy of the jugdment.
“The commission needs to obtain a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgement, study it carefully to determine what the court intended, before arriving at an informed decision,” the official said.
The Supreme Court had on April 4, 2025 overturned an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal that had recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.
The apex court held that the appeal court lacked jurisdiction over internal party matters.
But the apex court verdict was subjected to different interpretations, with Abure contending that the Supreme Court did not remove him from office, while the LP Caretaker Committee, led by Nenadi Usman, argued that Abure had been sacked.
At the same time a factional leader of the party, Lamidi Apapa, surfaced to lay claim to the party’s leadership.
In a move to clarify the leadership situation, an LP delegation led by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, visited INEC headquarters in Abuja on April 9.
During the visit, Otti submitted a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment to the electoral body.
The visit aimed to provide clarity on the party’s leadership and ensure effective communication with INEC.
The delegation was received by the INEC National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, and other senior officials of the commission.
Discussions during the meeting also covered ways to strengthen collaboration between INEC and the Labour Party, with an emphasis on upholding democratic values.
Olumekun reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in carrying out its responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Abure, on Thursday, insisted he remained the authentic LP National Chairman.
Abure warned Governor Otti and Obi to heed the Supreme Court judgment.
Speaking through LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, he said, “The position of the Labour Party after critically reviewing the Supreme Court judgment delivered on the 4th of April 2025 stated as follows: The Supreme Court, contrary to speculations, actually reaffirmed the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi.
“The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who had joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2015) LPELR-24588 (SC).
“Consequently, we admonished Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, and Peter Obi, former presidential Candidate of our party in the 2023 General Election, who are the protagonists of the current division in the Party, to hear the Supreme Court loud and clear.”
Continuing, Abure insisted that before the contentious National Convention, the Labour Party fulfilled all legal requirements in line with the LP Constitution, Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, those insisting their tenure has expired probably misinterpreted the judgment.
“The Supreme Court admonished party members to respect the Constitution of their party when it stated thus; Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members.
“Political parties and their members should, therefore, have faith in the internal dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed in their party constitution,” he urged.
Abure’s press conference comes two weeks after Obi and Otti supporters presented the 48-page Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment at a parallel meeting of the LP National Executive Committee with several stakeholders in attendance in Abuja.
Otti had announced that the document had put an end to the debate of misinterpretation of the verdict.
In attendance were Obi; the lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Victor Umeh; Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku; and the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Darlington Nwokocha.
Others include former LP chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo, members of the National Assembly, Abia State Assembly and chieftains of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, among others.
When contacted for reaction, the spokesman of the Usman-led caretaker committee, Tony Akeni appealed for time, saying he was indisposed at the moment.
He, however, promised to call back.
As of the time of filing this story, his lime could not be reached.
Efforts to get the reaction of Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, were also unsuccessful.
