From Sola Ojo, Abuja

 

Weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that matters concerning internal affairs of the Labour Party must be decided by the party leadership, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti and Senator Esther Nenadi Usman have allegedly, through their ‘agent’, approached a Federal High Court in Zamfara State for the reversal of the Supreme Court judgment.

A credible source within the party hinted on Monday that the twist may not be unconnected to their ‘desperate’ efforts to remove Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.

According to the source, one Sule Garba in a Suit No FHC/GS/CS/30/2025 by way of a Motion Exparte went for a court shopping in Gusau, to attempt through the back door to secure an order to stop Abure and the National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim from further presenting themselves as the authentic leadership of the party.

However, on May 15, 2025, the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Gusau, Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, refused to grant the ex parte Order sought by the agent of Otti and Nenadi Usman to remove Abure and the members of the National Working Committee from office pending the determination of the matter in the court. 

The court insisted that all the respondents, including Abure, Ibrahim, Labour Party and INEC, are to be put on notice.

The judge also ordered an expeditious hearing of the suit while adjourning to June 4, 2025, for further proceedings.

The Supreme Court had on April 4, 2025, ruled that the matter of leadership in a political party is not justiciable and that no court has the jurisdiction to entertain party leadership matters because it is purely an internal affair of the party. 

The Supreme Court also did not set aside the Court of Appeal judgement of 13 November 2024, which affirmed Abure’s leadership of the party having emerged from a lawfully held national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State on March 27, 2024.

 While responding to the latest attempt to use a court in Zamfara State to remove Abure and his executive, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, rues the development and described it as uncanny desperation and another effort that will certainly end in futility.

“We are shocked to learn that some of our leaders are desperately shopping for court orders from every nook and cranny to ensure that the crisis persists in the party and to stop INEC from recognising our leadership. 

“$In their desperate mood, they left Abuja and journeyed with a night bus, all the way to Zamfara, yet the court refused their prayers.

“This won’t be the first time they have resorted to court order shopping. They went to Aba last year on a similar mission to shop for a court order, and they were refused.

 “I don’t understand the kind of stiff-necked leaders that are emerging in Nigeria today, where people see a practically impossible mission, yet they will prefer to sink a ship in their desperation to catch a fish.

“It is regrettable that up till now, some people are still busy chasing shadows, while other serious political parties and their leaders are tilling the ground in anticipation of a bountiful harvest ahead of 2027.

“Why would someone wake up one morning and start fighting themselves? This is not normal again.

“I am sure you have read the Supreme Court judgement very well. Is there anywhere the Supreme Court said it has removed Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, or anywhere it ruled that Nenadi Usman has now become the new chairman?

“Even INEC had admitted that the stakeholders meeting held in Umuahia that enthroned Nenadi Usman was illegal.

“We are using this opportunity to appeal to all our estranged members to allow reason to prevail and obey the Supreme Court pronouncement on the supremacy of the party”, Obiora reacted.

Reactions from Governor Otti and Senator Nenadi Usman could not be established as of the time of filing this report.