The leadership of the Labour Party under Nenadi Usman has downplayed the decision of embattled national chairman, Julius Abure, to challenge his removal at the Supreme Court, insisting that his tenure has elapsed and that the party has since moved on under a new leadership.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The , Usman expressed confidence that the apex court would not depart from its earlier position on the party’s leadership dispute.
“My take is that the Supreme Court would maintain its stand. They can’t change what they have done before. If my tenure is over tomorrow, I will go. But it’s not yet over,” she said.
Also weighing in on the controversy, a serving member of the House of Representatives representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, Alex Ikwechegh, said the outcome of the appeal is predictable, arguing that the issues being contested had previously been settled by the Supreme Court.
He said, “We can already tell the outcome of that case. Remember that the judgment being debated on today, which the appeal and high courts had affirmed, is a Supreme Court judgment.
“I also believe that the time for them to have filed for it in the apex court has elapsed. So, we don’t understand what is going on. All we can say is that this issue can be resolved when we sit at a round table and put things together.
“Abure’s tenure has expired. He is no longer in the leadership of the LP. The new chairman is Senator Nenadi Usman.
“However, we don’t have a problem with him as we have now extended a hand of fellowship to him and my big brother, Ceekay Igara (former Abia party chairman), for them to join the fold.”
The lawmaker, however, believes their differences could be resolved outside the courtroom.
“The National Leader of the party, Dr Alex Otti, is a very kind and magnanimous individual. I am sure they will be accepted like the prodigal son if they agree to return to the party. That will also strengthen and solidify the party,” Ikwechegh stated.
Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the Usman-led faction, Ken Asogwa, dismissed suggestions that Abure’s legal challenge poses any threat to the party.
“Abure is no threat to us. As I speak with you, the party has not been served any paper from the Supreme Court as Abure claimed. He needs to be investigated.
“However, let me quickly add that he is a distraction and the party has moved on,” Asogwa said.
The comments came about a month after Abure announced that he had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging his removal and the recognition of the Usman-led leadership by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He made the disclosure during a press conference in Abuja amid renewed tensions over the control and leadership of the opposition party.
Abure had rejected the Court of Appeal judgment affirming Usman as national chairman, describing the ruling as unacceptable and vowing to seek redress at the apex court.
The Labour Party has remained divided into rival camps, with both sides laying claim to the party’s leadership and structures nationwide.
In his statement, Abure maintained that the legal battle would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court and pledged to continue efforts to “recover the party” from what he described as “political buccaneers and merchants” allegedly seeking to destabilise the Labour Party.