S'Court Judgement: INEC Breaks Silence on Restoring Abure, Anyanwu As National Officials of LP, PDP

• The Independent National Electoral Commission has reacted to reports claiming it has recognised new leaders for the Labour Party and PDP
• In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the commission described the report as false and misleading
• The commission further noted that it is still studying the recent Supreme Court judgment and has not taken a final decision on both parties’ leadership

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports suggesting it has officially recognised certain individuals as leaders of the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued on Thursday, May 8, shared on its official website on X, the commission described the media reports as “false and misleading.”

INEC clarified that no final decision has been taken regarding the leadership disputes within either the LP or PDP.

“The reports are false and misleading. The commission has not made any decision in respect of either the LP or PDP,” said Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi.

INEC speaks on new LP and PDP leaders

Oyekanmi explained that the names of the party officials currently listed on its INEC's website were uploaded earlier in compliance with court orders, unrelated to recent Supreme Court rulings concerning the parties.

Similarly, the commission clarified that the PDP’s national secretary listed on its website had not been altered.

INEC assured it would communicate its official stance at the appropriate time.

Oyekanmi added:

“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course.”

INEC spoke amid rising tensions within both parties over internal leadership claims and interpretations of recent court judgments.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the crisis in the Labour Party deepened as Governor Alex Otti was reportedly suspended from the party over the allegation of anti-party activities.

Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, and three other federal lawmakers were also suspended for the same reason.

The Labour Party bigwigs were suspended by Julius Abure's faction of the party, saying the move followed a disciplinary committee report.

Read INEC's full statement below:

Read more about the Labour Party here:

• Gov Otti blasts Abure over suspension from Labour Party, “Clown in desperate search for a crown”
• Labour Party alerts INEC of illegal governorship primaries in Anambra, affirms Moghalu as guber candidate
• Peter Obi opens up on dumping Labour Party amid leadership crisis

Labour Party crisis: Abure speaks

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Abure declared that no vacuum exists in the leadership of the LP.

Abure said any declaration to the contrary by any person or group was a nullity.

Revisiting the Supreme Court's verdict on Monday, April 7, Abure said the national caretaker committee is an illegal body unknown to any law guiding the LP.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng