Victorious Abure demands restitution from Peter Obi
Senator Nenadi Usman, the just Court-sacked Chairman Labour Party Caretaker Committee, has gone on appeal to challenge the sack of her Committee by a Federal High Court, Abuja.
In the aftermath of the sack of sack, the Court-reinstated and recognized Chairman of LP, Barrister Julius Abure, has sent a message to the Leader of the Party and its Presidential Candidate in the 2023 Presidential Election, Peter Obi, to join hands with him and make the Party the great Party it is meant to be. But a caveat: Abure asked for restitution from Obi and others for alleged blackmail and assassination of his character.
Abure who was removed along with his National Working Committee by a Stakeholders at a meeting in Umuahia was replaced by a 29-member Committee, headed by Dr Nenadi Usman. The Stakeholders meeting hosted by the Governor of Abia State, LP’s only Governor, Dr Alex Otti, was attended, among others, by Obi. In removing Abure, they said his tenure had long expired, and dismissed the Nnewi Convention which gave Abure and Co. a new term in office as a no-event.
But on Tuesday, Abure was reinstated and confirmed as the National Chairman of the LP by the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by the Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite.
On reinstatement Abure, in a message to Obi, appealed to the 2023 Presidential Candidate to join him and unify the Party.
In the statement titled “A New Dawn for the Labour Party: Victory, Forgiveness and Unity,” personally signed by him in reaction to the Court ruling, Abure pleaded for unity and forgiveness.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Abure as the legitimate Chairman of the Labour Party.
The Court also endorsed the controversial March 2024 Nnewi convention which constituted the Party’s National leadership, and ordered INEC to acknowledge its governance.
Celebrating the ruling, Abure said that the victory was not just his, but to justice and democracy.
He said it affirms the supremacy of the law and the legitimacy of the party’s leadership, and extended an olive branch, to those who he said sought to undermine the party and engaged in character assassination and blackmail against him.
Specifically, he urged Obi and others to join him to unite the party, and urged them to “consider restitution for the harm they have caused him and others within the party.”
Abure posited that it is by so doing that the Party can move forward and heal for the good of Nigeria.
But the Nenadi-Usman led Committee is headed for appeal at the Courts.
In a statement she personally signed, Dr Usman, a former Minister for Finance as well as a former Senator, said the Court case preceded her Committee. However, having inherited and joined the case, would immediately go on appeal.
Her statement reads in full:
“This evening, I met with His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha (Secretary, LP Caretaker Committee). We deliberated on the judgment passed today. The case actually preceded the formation of the Caretaker Committee. However, after being briefed, the Caretaker Committee decided to join the case.
“Consequently, we have resolved to appeal the judgment accordingly.
“I, therefore, call on all party members to remain calm and maintain peace as we continue our reconciliation efforts.
“Senator Nenadi Usman, Ph.D.
Chairman, Labour Party Caretaker Committee”
Recall that in the heat of the crisis, the Abure-led LP National Leadership said it had withdrawn and thrown open the Presidential and Abia Governorship tickets for 2027 General Elections which the Party, under his watch, had offered Obi and Otti respectively.
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