The Court of Appeal Abuja Division yesterday ordered that Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, be joined as Respondent in two appeals challenging the January 21 judgment of the Federal High Court, affirming the Senator Nenadi Usman-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP).
The Appeal Court decision followed two separate applications that sought Gov Alex Otti to be joined in the appeal process before the court.
In the two rulings on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal unanimously held that Otti’s applications were meritorious.
Justice Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, who gave the lead rulings, held that Otti, being the only serving governor on the platform of the LP, a statutory member of its National Executive Committee (NEC) and who plays pivotal role in the affairs of the party, he is a necessity party in the appeals.
Justice Oyewumi further ruled that Otti is not a meddlesome interloper, but an individual, whose interest, right and political fortune would be affected by the outcome of the appeals, which centre on the dispute over the structure and leadership of the party, under which the Abia governor said he intends to seek re-election.
The judge, who noted that Otti has a constitutional right to seek re-election, held that he has sufficiently demonstrated that his being joined in both appeals would assist the court in effectively determining the issues before the court.
Justice Oyewumi proceeded and issued an order that Otti be joined as the fifth respondent in the first appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/CV/255/2026, and to be made the sixth respondent in the second appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/256/2026.
Justice Oyewumi ordered the appellants on both appeals to file their appellants brief within five days, to reflect Otti as a party in the appeal and for all the the respondents to file their briefs within three days, while the reply briefs should be filed within two days, where necessary.
She adjourned till April 10 at 10am for the hearing of two other applications filed by five individuals, who are seeking to be made parties in both appeals.
The five are Prince Ifagbemi Awamaridi, Dr. Mohammed Akinloye, Comrade Kabir David, Comrade Ibrahim Alawiye and Comrade Ibrahim Zakare, who claimed to also be leaders of the party.
The first of the appeals was filed by Julius Abure (as National Chairman of the LP) and Umar Farouk Ibrahim (National Secretary of the party), while the second was filed in the name of the party (LP).
The first appeal has Usman (described as Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the party), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), LP and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as respondents.
The second appeal has Usman, INEC, Abure, Ibrahim and the LP as respondents.
The appeals are challenging the January 21 judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, which held, among others, that the Usman-led Caretaker Committee was the authentic leadership body of the LP.