Politics
INEC Derecognition Report Mere Propaganda – Abure LP
He claimed that the Federal High Court’s decisions of August 15, 2025, were allegedly misinterpreted to suit this narrative.
Mr Ifoh said, “For the records, two cases concerning Labour Party were decided and dismissed yesterday by the same court.
“One by Nenadi Usman through one Chris Omofuma, her purported candidate in the Edo by-election and of course, the one filed by Labour Party through Barrister Julius Abure.
“INEC was the respondent in all the matters. While INEC for obvious reasons refused to put up any counter against Nenadi’s camp, it however, deposed to a counter affidavit in opposition to Abure’s suit, on the premise that it neither monitored nor recognised the March 27, 2024, convention in Nnewi, and that Abure’s tenure, along with that of the National Executive Committee, according to their illusions, expired in June 2024.
“The court wasted no time in dismissing the suit by Ms Nenadi Usman through Chris Omofume on the ground that both Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha were not National Chairman and National Secretary respectively, of the party and therefore are not competent to nominate candidate for the bye-election.
“The court also, while dismissing the suit by Abure and Labour Party, held that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, noting that the Supreme Court had, in its April 4, 2025, decision in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025, ruled on the supremacy of the party and its ability to resolve its internal affairs using the party’s internal mechanism.
“In any event, the Supreme Court never said that Abure was not the National Chairman of the Labour Party nor made pronouncement on the Convention. It only said that issues of leadership is an internal affairs of the party. It is also clear that the Abure leadership is the party here and that is what the apex court referred to.
“Disappointed by the judgement of the Court, Nenadi Usman and her power mongering renegades went to town publishing INEC’s counter-affidavit which the court never relied on.
“For us, their celebration was laughable and a smokescreen meant to mislead members of the public. They know that they have nothing to really celebrate.
“They forgot so soon that that INEC’s so called counter-affidavit has been tested in various courts, up to the Supreme Court and has not been accepted.
“The INEC counter affidavit is clearly what the commission has been portraying all through in the courts since the beginning of their unlawful exclusion of our leadership.
“They tendered it before Justice Omotosho and it was rejected, INEC also said so in Justice Nwite’s court and the Judge ruled against them.
“They said so in the Court of Appeal, the court also ruled against them. Even the Supreme Court ruled against them.
“All those issues in the counter affidavit have been raised before and have been resolved against INEC. Even the Federal High Court yesterday did not accept their counter-affidavit, reason it refused to grant Nenadi’s request that her candidate be recognized to participate in the bye-election.
“It is therefore infantile for Nenadi to be circulating the same counter-affidavit as if it were a new document. Their celebration, to us amounts to nothing. It is quite unfortunate that they are celebrating that the Labour Party that gave them succor have no candidate, should that be what they should celebrate?
“Are they not playing into the hands of the opposition? Who benefits from all of this saga? Who is the loser? Are Peter Obi and Dr. Alex Otti not actually the losers in all of these?
“Are they celebrating because they want the party to die. A party that gave them hope when they didn’t have any hope, a party that gave them the platform when they were frustrated by other political parties.
“We are also calling on INEC not to ignore the order by His Lordship, Hon Justice Mustapha A. Ramat of the Nasarawa state division delivered on July 23, 2025 in a SUIT NO. NSD/LF.84/2024 in an interlocutory order directing INEC to accord exclusive recognition to Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party.
“The court also ordered that INEC must respect every decision arising from the leadership pending when the case before it is rested.
“We urge INEC not to disobey a lawful order of the Court. INEC must be informed of hushed comments of what appears to be a desperate and obvious collaborative efforts between it and some renegades in the Labour Party to undo the party and to preclude it from participating in future democratic process. We want to believe that if there is any element of truth in it, Nigerians must rise and defend this democracy.
“Finally, we call on our party members to be vigilant and remain peaceful in the face of all these provocation. We assure them that the party under the leadership of Abure is intact and that we will smile at the end of the day. We foresee an end to this crisis very soon because Labour Party will come out stronger and better.”
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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