Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
A group of elder statesmen under the aegis of the Abia Patriots has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with a recent Federal High Court judgment affirming Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the authentic leader of the Labour Party (LP).
In a statement signed by the group’s Secretary General, Mazi Adindu Madumere, the Abia Patriots said the ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu aligns with an earlier Supreme Court pronouncement and should be promptly implemented by INEC.
The group urged the electoral body to officially recognise the Senator Nenadi Usman–led caretaker committee as the legitimate leadership of the party.
According to the group, strict adherence to the court’s decision would help reduce political distractions in Abia State and allow the current administration to focus fully on governance and service delivery.
The Abia Patriots commended Governor Alex Otti for remaining committed to development despite the lingering leadership crisis within the Labour Party, noting that the political dispute has not slowed the pace of governance in the state.
They praised the governor for prioritising infrastructure development and the delivery of tangible dividends of democracy to the people.
The statement read in part: “In line with our avowed desire to minimise political distractions in Abia and ensure that government attention is devoted 100 per cent to the business of governance, we call on INEC to respect and enforce the court’s decision by recognising the Senator Nenadi Usman–led caretaker committee as the legitimate leadership of the Labour Party. This step will undoubtedly accelerate the current pace of governance and enable the delivery of even greater dividends of democracy to our people.”
The group stressed that respect for the rule of law remains fundamental to democratic stability and urged all stakeholders to support lawful processes in resolving political disputes.
