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By Myke Agunwa,
Following the Supreme Court judgement of Friday which announced that courts have no jurisdiction over the internal crisis of political party, the caretaker committee of Labour party led by Sen. Nenadi Usman is planning to set up a parallel secretariat to oversee the affairs of the party.
A source close to the caretaker chairman who spoke with Pointblank News on condition of anonymity disclosed that the leadership of the caretaker committee are in talks with the governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti and the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi to provide funds for the setting up of a parallel secretariat where the day to day running of the party will take place.
The Barr. Julius Abure-led faction of the party had in a statement on Sunday, raised alarm over plots to forcefully take over the secretariat of the party.
In a statement by the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Abure said, “It has come to the knowledge of the leadership of the Labour Party that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC is mobilizing its members, hired thugs and some miscreants in concert with the illegal Nenadi Usman led National Caretaker Committee (NCC), and the National Transition Committee (NTC) to invade the National Secretariat of our party.
“According to the source, the invasion which is allegedly funded by the Abia state government and one other prominent leader in the party is expected to commence as from Monday 7th of April 2025.
“During the invasion, the NLC will attempt an unlawful break and entry into offices at the national headquarters with the aim of carting away sensitive documents and to also vandalise the properties belonging to the party”.
However contrary to the speculation, the Chieftain said that the caretaker committee will not be in a hurry to vandalize properties of the party nor engage in physical fisscuff with an illegitimate group.
“It is the people that makes up Labour party not Abure and his co-travellers. The Supreme Court judgement was very vehement on returning power to the people. Now what do the people want? The people have rejected the kangaroo that took place in Nnewi, dissociated themselves from the exercise and came together to set-up a 29-member caretaker committee that will pilot the affairs of the party led by Sen. Nenadi Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha as secretary.
“All the organs that make up the Labour party including our leader Peter Obi, our governor, members of the National Assembly members, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, members of the state assemblies, the Obidient family and several teaming supporters of the party spoke with one voice in September last year at Umuahia.
“The apex court said that the party will determine its leadership and at the expanded stakeholders meeting, everyone agreed that Abure’s tenure has since expired and pronounced the convention that took place in Nnewi, a jamboree. So what else is Abure waiting for to pack his bag and go? Does he want to destroy the party he has benefitted so much from? Does he think that he is bigger than everyone in the party?
“Don’t forget that the apex court entertained the suite filled by Sen. Usman because it recognized her and her group as the team that were elected by the people else the court could have described her as “meddlesome interloper”.
“Can you imagine that Labour party produced only two candidates in the just concluded Anambra election and one of them withdrew from the primaries hours before commencement because Abure has already compromised the process”.
When reminded that Abure has already raised alarm over plans to take over the secretariat by force he responded.
“The LP secretariat is just a building; the party is the people. Where the people are, there the party is. The party secretariat can be situated anywhere the people wants it to be. If the people wants to force Abure out of that building, they can do it but I think stakeholders are considering other options including leaving the building for him and setting up another place where the party will coordinate its activities.
“I can assure you that Abure will no longer be recognized by INEC and other political organs as the caretaker committee will write all the organs of the party and inform them about the new secretariat from where the activities of the party will be carried out”.
Recall that the party was thrown into confusion after a Supreme Court judgment on Friday said that court lacks jurisdiction in determining the leadership of a political party. It stated that both the appeal court and the lower court have no jurisdiction to entertained the suit by the first respondent (Abure).
It asked political parties and their members to always endeavour to allow their constitutions and rules guide them in choosing their leaders as well as their candidates.
The court noted that by doing so, incessant wrangling and recourse to court would reduce. It allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and held that it was meritorious.