The Labour Party has praised the verdict released by the Court of Appeal, Owerri Judicial Division on July 2, 2026, calling it as a reaffirmation of the validity of the party’s recognised national leadership, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, to begin and conduct legal procedures on its behalf.
This decision was made in Appeal No. CA/OW/104/2026: Labour Party & 14 Others v. Abia State Independent Electoral Commission & 4 Others, which addresses a pre-election issue that arose from previous proceedings at the Federal High Court.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, the appeal was filed in the name of the Labour Party without the knowledge, agreement, or authorisation of the party’s recognised national leadership.
The statement went on to say that after discovering the appeal, the National Legal Adviser, Mrs. Taiwo Mary Ajayi, Esq., instructed Mr. C. Okoroafor in an official letter dated June 22, 2026, to represent the party and take the appropriate actions to withdraw the matter.
During the hearings at the Court of Appeal, two different solicitors attended on behalf of the Labour Party, forcing the court to require documentation proof of their authorisation to represent the party.