- •House of Reps Caucus Leader, Ogene sacked
The recent Supreme Court ruling on the Labour Party (LP) leadership crisis has thrown the chieftains into confusion.
The Julius Abure-led faction, and the Nenadi Usman-led faction of the party claimed that the Supreme Court ruling validated their leadership.
The Supreme Court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which recognised Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
A five-member panel of the apex court said the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to enter any pronouncement in favour of Abure since it had earlier found that the subject matter of the dispute bordered on the leadership of a political party.
The court held that the substance of the case centred on the domestic affair of a political party, which no court has the powers to meddle into.
Consequently, the Supreme Court allowed an appeal that was filed by a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, who are the chairman and secretary, respectively, of a Caretaker Committee that was earlier appointed to pilot the affairs of the party.
Following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party resolved to remove Abure as the national chairman.
To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with the former Finance Minister, Senator Usman as Chairman and Hon. Nwokocha as Secretary.
The decision was sequel to the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party that was hosted in Umuahia by governor Alex Otti of Abia State. The candidate of the party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, chaired the meeting where Abure was sacked from office.
In a swift reaction, Abure-led National Executive Committee (NEC) has threatened to sanction the Abia State Governor, Alex Oti, should he go ahead with the planned “illegal” stakeholders meeting, scheduled to hold on Wednesday, April 19, 2025.
It also warned the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, against any conduct or utterance, which promotes disunity within the party.
The party leadership said it would no longer take kindly to anti-party activities from any member “no matter how highly placed.”
In the same vein, the LP NEC also announced the sack of Hon. Afam Ogene from his position as leader of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives. In his place, NEC appointed Barr. Ben Eternabene, as the new leader.
These decisions were contained in a communiqué read by the Party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, at the end of a NEC meeting held at the party’s National Secretariat, In Abuja, on Monday.
Farouk said, “NEC in session in exercise if it’s duties , hereby caution the former presidential candidate of our great party not to participate in any action capable of undermining the peace unity, and integrity of the party as the NEC will not hesitate to issue stiffer penalty if found culpable.”
The party’s NEC also expressed satisfaction with the resent ruling of the Supreme Court affirming the supremacy of the party in determining its leadership.
Farouk further said, “Accordingly, NEC in session reaffirmed the Nnewi National Convention held on the 27thof March 2024 that produced the current National Working Committee (NWC) members under the chairmanship of Barrister Julius Abure.
“NEC in session condemns in strong terms the activities of the Caretaker Committee illegally established by Alex Otti and Peter Obi in a so-called stakeholders meeting held on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia.
“The Supreme Court admonished party leaders and members of the party to always abide by the constitution of the party.
“NEC noted that Article 14 (4) (B) gives power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.
Accordingly, NEC warned all members to abide by the constitution of the party.”
Speaking specifically about the Abia State Governor, the communiqué said, “NEC in session notes the various anti-party activities of Gov. Alex Otti, including calling of unauthorised stakeholders meeting and usurping the powers of NEC.
“He also conducted LGA election using another political party. The governor has also intensified his effort to factionalize the party leadership by calling an illegal NEC schedule to hold on Wednesday.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is also aware of the governor’s plot to cripple our party before moving to another political party where he hopes to contest the 2027 governorship election.
“His anti-party activities is unbecoming of highly respected personality and can no longer be acceptable, NEC stated that it will not hesitate to discipline him in line with Article 19 of the party’s constitution.
“NEC in session noted that it would not hesitate to discipline any other erring member who violates the party’s constitution regardless of how big or powerful such individuals may be.
On Ogene’s removal as LP Caucus leader: “NEC in session reviewed the activities of the House of Representatives Caucus leader, Honourable Victor Adam Ogene and wishes to note as follows:
“That the voice of the current leadership of the party is not being heard in the hallowed lower chambers; that there is a lack of cohesion amongst our members in the House; that the leadership appears to be compromised; and that the ideology and programs of the party are not well represented.
“NEC in session, as a result of the aforementioned, decided to relieve Honourable Ogene of that leadership role for dereliction of duty. Consequently, Hon. Barrister Ben Etanabene, has been appointed by the NEC in session as the Labour Party’s Caucus Leader in the House of Representatives.”
The NEC subsequently mandated the NWC to communicate the decision to relevant authorities.
It also demanded that Ogene hand over all the party’s properties in his possession, particularly all the financial contributions made so far by other Labour Party lawmakers, which are in his possession to the party, and render proper account to the party with immediate effect.
The party vows to go to any length to retrieve all its belongings, including monies that belong to it, which Hon. Ogene is holding tight to.
Earlier, in his address of welcome, Abure, who chaired the NEC meeting said, “Recent developments within our party, particularly in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s pronouncement on the leadership matter, have necessitated this gathering.
“Let me begin by extending our profound appreciation to the Supreme Court of Nigeria for its courageous and principled stance in affirming the supremacy of political parties in managing their internal affairs.
“In its judgement concerning the Labour Party, the apex court unequivocally reasserted that leadership disputes arising within a political party remain within the exclusive purview of the party’s constitution and governance structures.
“Accordingly, the court declined jurisdiction in the appeal brought by Senator Nenadi Usman, thereby reinforcing the foundational principle of party autonomy.
“It is, however, regrettable that certain actors, most notably Senators Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha, have chosen to misrepresent the ruling, deliberately misleading the public and attempting to manufacture confusion through a purported “Caretaker Committee.”
“Let it be stated categorically: this so-called committee is both unconstitutional and illegitimate.
“Those who convened the meeting in Umuahia lacked the legal authority to do so, and they neither hold the office of National Chairman nor National Secretary as required by our party’s constitution.
“The Labour Party held a valid National Convention in 2019, whose tenure was constitutionally due to end in June 2023.
“In response to the extraordinary demands of the 2023 general elections, our NEC meeting in Asaba in April of that year, authorized a one-year extension, pushing the end of tenure to June 9, 2024.
“In line with this resolution and the constitution of our party, a fresh National Convention was duly convened and held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State.
