LP crisis: Otti, Obi ask INEC to enforce court CTC

“I have no plans to leave LP,” says Obi

By Idu Jude and Sola Ojo, Abuja

Factional Labour Party (LP) leaders, including Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti, 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and Caretaker Committee Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman, have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court’s April 4 judgement affirming Usman’s leadership.

At a parallel National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at a hotel in Abuja on Wednesday, 9 April 2025, the group ratified Usman’s National Caretaker Committee and passed a vote of confidence in Obi and Otti as party leaders. Obi described the prolonged crisis as avoidable.

“We discussed at length, and Governor Otti agreed to carry the burden of uniting the party. But all efforts failed,” he said.

“The court has done the right thing, and it is now for all of us to go out there and jubilate.” He extended an olive branch to the ousted Julius Abure-led faction, urging unity.

Otti echoed Obi’s sentiments. “Several efforts were made to find solutions to end the crisis,” he stated.

“The stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia on 4 November 2024 set up a 29-member caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman, but it was challenged by the Abure-led group.

“We expected everyone to honour the Supreme Court judgement, and in any case, they don’t have a choice because the Supreme Court is the final arbiter.” He believes the CTC’s arrival marks LP’s permanence.

Senator Nenadi Usman announced plans to review the Anambra governorship primaries that produced George Moghalu as the party’s flagbearer.

She urged stakeholders to seize this moment to entrench integrity and responsible leadership.

“I call on the Abure-led group to embrace peace by accepting the olive branch extended to build a virile opposition party capable of challenging the ruling party’s anomalies,” she said.

The NEC meeting’s resolutions included submitting the CTC to INEC for immediate action, solidifying Usman’s caretaker role.

They emphasised unity, urging members to set aside differences, ratified the 29-member committee from November 2024, and called for a review of Moghalu’s primaries ahead of the Anambra election.

Obi dismissed rumours of leaving LP, stating, “I have no plans to leave LP.”