Labour Party’s legal adviser affirms that Peter Obi remains aligned with National Chairman Julius Abure amid ongoing party speculations.
Despite the ongoing crisis within the opposition Labour Party (LP), its legal adviser, Kehinde Edun, states that Peter Obi, their presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, remains aligned with Julius Abure’s faction.
In September 2024, Obi attended a meeting organized by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. During this gathering, former Finance Minister Nenadi Usman was appointed to lead the party until new leadership is chosen to succeed Abure.
However, the High Court and the Court of Appeal later ruled that Abure would continue as the party’s chairman.
Edun, a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today last Wednesday, mentioned that Obi continues to engage regularly with the Abure-led party leadership and has never indicated any intention of leaving the party.
When asked whether Obi has rejoined the Abure faction of the party after the court ruling, Edun responded, “I think so. Although he hasn’t made any definitive statement on it, he is in regular communication with us and hasn’t indicated that he’s left the party. As far as I know and believe, he is still with us.”
Recognizing that the crisis within the Labour Party is harming its standing, the legal adviser reassured party members that leadership is actively working to address and resolve the situation.
“We’re aware there’s a perceived crisis within the party due to its current portrayal, but we’re actively working towards reconciliation to unite everyone. Fortunately, we still have time to achieve this.”
Edun stated, “We have never initiated a conflict with anyone. Our legal action was directed at INEC, not Nenadi; the court addressed this issue and they expressed their intent to join. At no point have we filed suit against any party member.”
The Appeal Court reaffirmed last Friday that Abure is still the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, determined that its November 13, 2024 decision—recognizing Abure as national chairman—is still valid and has not been overturned by any court.
Justice Barka announced the decision while ruling on two distinct appeals submitted by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, as well as the caretaker committee and the electoral authority.
In two separate appeals, the appellate court determined that it would not address the leadership issue of the Labour Party, as these matters are not subject to judicial review.
Peoplesmind
