By Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA- A legal practitioner, Mr. Chika Uhuaba, has said that the recent Supreme Court verdict did not resolve the issue of who is the authentic national chairman of the party between Chief Julius Abure and Senator Esther Nenadi Usman.

Uhuaba stated that the court ruled that leadership disputes are internal affairs of political parties which are outside the court’s purview.”

The renowned lawyer explained that the court emphasized on jurisdiction and didn’t consider the constitutionality of the congress that produced Abure.

He said;”The crisis that rocked the party erupted when Abure despite the contention from the other faction of the party that Abure’s tenure had expired, while acting pursuant to Article 14 of the party’s constitution summoned a national Congress of the party wherein he was elected as the party’s National Chairman.

“The scenario as captured above undoubtedly brought Abure’s case under the internal affair of the Labour Party which is an area where the courts generally lack jurisdiction to intervene except when parties fail to adhere to their constitution or rules as held by the courts in the cases of Ardo & Anor v Nyako and Agi v PDP & Ors

“The Supreme Court’s decision left the heartbeat of the case for speculation as the court did not consider the party’s constitution and the specific circumstance surrounding Abure’s emergence as the chairman.

“The Supreme Court only considered and emphasized jurisdiction rarher than Abure’s leadership and the constitutionality of his emergence leaving room for interpretation about the legality of the party’s national congress or otherwise.

“Having not considered the constitutionality of the congress that produced Abure, the supreme court’s decision didn’t settle the leadership crisis in the party.”