By RhemDy News
The Labour Party has welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State, in affirming the Senator Nenadi Usman-led national leadership to institute and maintain lawsuits on behalf of the party.
The judgement was delivered on 2nd July 2026, in Appeal No. CA/OW/104/2026 between Labour Party & 14 Ors. v. Abia State Independent Electoral Commission & 4 Others.
Labour Party's National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, in a statement on Monday, described the ruling as a further judicial affirmation of the settled legal position regarding the authority to institute or maintain legal proceedings in the name of the Party.
He recalled that the appeal arose from a pre-election matter following the decision of the Federal High Court.
Upon discovering that an appeal had been filed in the name of the Labour Party without the knowledge, approval or authorisation of the party's recognised national leadership under the leadership of Senator Usman, the party's National Legal Adviser, Mrs. Taiwo Ajayi, promptly briefed Mr. C. Okoroafor through a formal letter of instruction dated June 22, 2026 to represent the party and take all necessary legal steps to withdraw the appeal.
When the matter came up before the Court of Appeal, two separate counsels announced appearances on behalf of the Party.
Faced with the conflicting claims of representation, the court directed both lawyers to produce documentary evidence establishing their authority to act for the Party.
While Mrs. A. Oteh, who had initially filed the appeal, relied on a letter issued by Mr. C. K. Igara, who described himself as the South-East Vice Chairman of the Labour Party, Okoroafor presented official letter of authority issued by the national legal adviser on behalf of the party.
After examining the documents, the court accepted the authority issued through the Office of the National Legal Adviser as the valid authorisation on behalf of the Labour Party.
Consequently, Mrs. Oteh withdrew both her appearance for the party and the counter-affidavit earlier filed in opposition to the application seeking the withdrawal of the appeal.
The Court thereafter dismissed the appeal and awarded costs of ₦100,000 against counsel acting on the authority of Mr. Igara.
The Labour Party said the decision again reinforced the established legal principle that only the duly recognised national leadership of the party, acting through its authorised officers, possesses the legal competence to engage counsel and to commence, defend or sustain legal proceedings in the name of the party.
Asogwa added that the judgement also in effect, reaffirmed the leadership of Usman as the only authentic and valid leadership of the party.
The party maintained that it will continue to challenge every attempt by unauthorised persons to parade themselves as representatives of the party or to initiate, defend or maintain legal proceedings in its name without lawful authority.
The Labour Party expressed its resolute commitment to the rule of law, constitutional order, internal party discipline, respect for judicial pronouncements, and the protection of its corporate identity and institutional integrity.
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