Abia State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has expressed his gratitude to the Supreme Court of Nigeria for its decisive ruling affirming that political party leadership is an internal matter, over which the Court has no jurisdiction.
Governor Otti made these remarks on Tuesday, April 8, when the leadership of the Labour Party in the State, led by the Acting Chairman, Sir Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, presented to him, a Coaster bus purchased in the name of the State Chapter of the Labour Party.
He praised and thanked the State Leadership of the Party for their efforts in transforming the party over the past few months, despite numerous challenges. He began by thanking God for resolving what he termed the “confusion in the party” that arose from lower court judgments, which allowed some individuals to wrongly claim leadership positions within the party.
“I want to also thank God for finally putting to rest the confusion that was created in the party. I will also use this opportunity to thank the Supreme Court for boldly declaring that the party leadership is an internal affair of the party. And once the party has taken a decision, the court does not have the jurisdiction.
“So, all the people that procured the lower court judgments, declaring themselves one thing or the other in the party, the Supreme Court has put that to rest. The ownership of the part has reverted back to the stakeholders and members of the party.
“In a few hours, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party will meet with the stakeholders of the party and decide a way forward,” Governor Otti stated.
The Governor commended the State leadership of the party for not being a liability to the Government but an asset, tasking themselves to procure a big bus.
In his words, “I will like to thank the leadership of the party in the State. I can say that, this is what Labour Party should be like. Instead of being a liability to the Government, the Party is actually an asset and is able to task itself to procure a big bus like this to ease the movement of members of the party.
“So, I want to congratulate you and thank you for this feat. I also want to thank everyone who contributed in one way or another to procure this bus. If you had approached me, I would have also made my own little contribution.”
The Governor assured the leadership of the party of his support.
Earlier in his address, while presenting the bus to Governor Otti, the Acting Labour Party Chairman in Abia State, Sir Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti commended the Governor for his good works in the State. He said that the current leadership of the Labour Party in the State has not come to embezzle money but on a mission to develop the Labour Party and give it a new structure.
Sir Nwaeze Otti said that the members of the party are very happy with the purchase of the Coaster bus which was done in the name of the party. He thanked Governor Otti for his exemplary leadership and support to the State leadership of the party. He was joined by other members of the State working committee including the Chairman of all Local Government Chairmen of the party.
