Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under fire from Nigerians following its clarification on the Supreme Court judgment concerning the Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership disputes.
Controversy had emerged following a Supreme Court judgment concerning the Labour Party, which many interpreted as a directive for immediate changes in the party’s national leadership.
The LP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with Abure and those in his faction on one hand, and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman on the other, laying claims to the leadership of the party.
The Supreme Court reportedly threw out the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had earlier affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the appellate court had no jurisdiction to meddle in the party’s leadership tussle.
According to the justices, the matter was strictly an internal party affair, one that courts have no business adjudicating.
However, a report claimed that INEC has reinstated Julius Abure as LP chairman and Umar Farouk as secretary of the opposition of the party on its website, based on a court directive.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday, Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press secretary (CPS) to the INEC chairman, described the media reports as “false and misleading,” clarifying that no final decision had been taken regarding the leadership disputes within either party.
“Our attention has been drawn to some media reports claiming that the Commission has recognised certain persons as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Labour Party.
“The reports also inferred that the Commission has restored a particular individual as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, referring to the listings on the Commission’s official website.
“However, the reports are false and misleading. The Commission has not made any decision in respect of either the LP or PDP,” said Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi.
INEC explained that the names of LP officials currently listed on its website were uploaded earlier in compliance with a court order, unrelated to the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the party’s internal leadership crisis.
Similarly, the Commission clarified that the PDP’s National Secretary listing on its site had not been altered.
The CPS explained, “The names of the National Officers of the LP had previously been uploaded to our website following a court order, not related in any way to the latest judgement of the Supreme Court.
“In the same manner, the name of the National Secretary of the PDP on the same website was neither deleted nor reinstated.”
“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course,” Oyekanmi added.
Following the development, Nigerians have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to express their frustration, questioning INEC’s role in the midst of the parties’ leadership disputes.
Many questioned INEC’s status as an independent entity, demanding for clarity and transparency, while others stressed the need for the electoral body to maintain its neutrality in party affairs.
“Are you truly an independent organization? Just how long will it take your legal department to “study” the Supreme Court judgement? You are not helping the negative perception of your organization by the public,” an X user with Dr. Bankole as name quarried.
Another X user, Olamilekan A, said “By law, we understand that the Supreme Court is the highest decision law making arm of the judiciary. How difficult could it be if you cannot make the decision made by them if you aren’t the third arm of the evil party.”
For Roland D, “This is the line where Nigeria crosses to the zoo. After a supreme court judgement, both the litigants and the public are left even more confused as to where the court stands on this. A laughable folly of the highest order. Oh! there was once a country.”
Olusegun Bakare quarried: “How many days do you people need to implement a court order. Is this the same INEC that wants to conduct an election in 2027? Something is wrong somewhere.”
An anonymous user wrote: “Lol Supreme court made a decision Follow the supreme court judgments simple What are u Studying again That isn’t ur job. Follow the rules. Ur job is to conduct elections Not meddle in party politics.”
An X user named Somtobechukwu queries thus: “As the judgement has already been passed on a matter by the apex court in the land, what else is needed? Why the constant dragging of feet to make it official? Especially when it comes to LP and PDP? We know what you are doing. Nigerians know.”
