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Mr Peter Obi
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed insinuations that the court verdict affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as acting National Chairman of Labour Party (LP) could affect the opposition parties’ coalition aimed at defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The oppositeion party also stated that the legitimacy of Senator Usman, as affirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), could potentially lead to the withdrawal of Mr Peter Obi from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, told The Guardian in Abuja that the ruling will not substantially change or utter anything heading into the 2027 elections.
Barrister Julius Abure, who had served as the Labour Party’s National Secretary, was elected by the Labour Party National Executive Council (NEC) in 2021 as the new National Chairman. He was finally removed by the Supreme Court.
Consequent upon his removal, INEC swiftly recognised former Finance Minister, Senator Usman, as the legitimate chairman of the Labour Party.
Mr Peter Obi, who came third in the 2023 Presidential elections, has left the Labour Party on whose platform he ran for the highest office. His exit was a result of a protracted leadership crisis and conflicting court judgments that rocked the LP.
Following what many describe as the perfect resolution of the lingering legal issues and uncertainties, there are fears in many quarters that Obi will return to his original party.
In his response, Mallam Abdhllahi said both Obi and Usman have been leading members of the coalition and that the ruling will not affect the coalition.
According to him, Obi has openly declared for the ADC and that settles it. He said, “The ruling does not change anything substantially. Mr. Obi has declared openly for the ADC. Senator Nenadi Usman has been a leading member of the coalition from the start.
“If anything, this judgment will only make the coalition stronger.”
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed the Julius Abure-led executive of the Labour Party and the candidates it produced for the purposes of elections.
The court also held that the evidence before it established that Abure’s tenure as the LP’s national chairman had since elapsed. (The Guardian)
