Abia State Governor Alex Otti has welcomed a landmark judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party, declaring that the ruling will restore order, peace and unity to the party.

The decision, which effectively settles a fierce leadership tussle that has dogged the Labour Party for months, has been hailed by Otti as a turning point for a political organisation that rose to national prominence during the last general elections but has since been weakened by internal strife and competing factions.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Abia governor congratulated the newly recognised caretaker leadership headed by Senator Nenadi Usman as chairman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as secretary, along with other members of the committee and the wider Labour Party family.

Otti described the judgment as both heartwarming and timely, arguing that it offers the party a rare opportunity to reset its internal structures and reclaim its place as a credible platform for Nigerians seeking an alternative to the dominant political parties.

“This victory is both heartwarming and timely as it provides us with the opportunity of ensuring that peace, order and unity return to the party, while ensuring reorganisation and rejuvenation of the party to become not just a truly democratic platform that meets the high expectations of its members, but a formidable political party poised to achieve electoral victories and deliver good governance at all levels,” the governor said.

For months, the Labour Party has been embroiled in a bitter leadership crisis, with rival factions laying claim to the national chairmanship and control of the party’s structures. The dispute, which spilled into multiple courts, threatened to erode the gains the party made in the last election cycle and to alienate many of its supporters who had rallied around its reformist message.

Otti, one of the party’s most prominent elected officials, has repeatedly warned that prolonged infighting could squander the goodwill the party enjoys among Nigerians, particularly young voters and urban professionals who embraced its promise of a new political culture. The latest court ruling, he suggested, offers a path out of that quagmire.

He urged the newly recognised leadership to treat the judgment not as a victory for one camp over another, but as a mandate to rebuild a fractured organisation on the foundations of inclusion, justice and internal democracy.

According to the statement, Otti called on the Usman-led caretaker committee to “see this victory as an opportunity to rejig the party and ensure purposeful and inclusive leadership committed to peace, unity and justice, in line with the constitution and ideals of the party.”

The governor also extended an olive branch to those who had opposed the caretaker committee or initiated legal actions that deepened the crisis. Without naming individuals, he appealed to all aggrieved members to respect the judgment of the Federal High Court, which he noted aligns with an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court on related issues of party leadership and internal disputes.

He described many of the suits that had proliferated in recent months as “frivolous litigations” that distracted from the party’s core mission and weakened its ability to function as a coherent opposition force. Otti urged those behind such actions to sheath their swords and embrace reconciliation.

The governor assured dissenting members that there would be room for forgiveness and reintegration if they chose to abide by the law and work within the structures now affirmed by the courts. He stressed that the party could not afford to remain divided at a time when Nigerians are looking for credible alternatives and effective governance at all levels.

Otti also commended the judiciary for what he termed a sound and courageous judgment, saying the decision had helped to clarify a contentious issue that had threatened to paralyse the party’s operations. He praised “lovers of democracy” who, in his words, stood by the Labour Party during its trying times and refused to give up on its potential.

He reiterated his personal commitment to playing a constructive role in deepening democratic practice in Nigeria, promising to support efforts that promote peace, order and respect for the rule of law, both within his party and in the wider political space.

In Abia State, where the Labour Party controls the governorship and enjoys significant representation in the legislature, the judgment has been greeted with enthusiasm by party officials and supporters who see it as a vindication of their stance in the leadership dispute.

Reacting in a separate statement, the Abia State Chairman of the Labour Party, Emmanuel Otti, expressed excitement over the Abuja court’s decision, saying it had helped to restore public confidence in the judiciary at a time when many Nigerians question the impartiality and effectiveness of the courts.

He argued that the ruling would stand the test of legal scrutiny, even if the opposing faction chose to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. According to him, any attempt by the camp aligned with Julius Abure to overturn the decision would amount to a futile exercise.

“They are just wasting their time,” he said, insisting that the legal and moral weight of the judgment was firmly on the side of the Usman-led caretaker committee.

Political observers note that the resolution of the leadership crisis, if it holds, could have far-reaching implications for the Labour Party’s future. With a clearer chain of command and a recognised national leadership, the party can begin the process of rebuilding its structures, reconciling warring factions and preparing for upcoming electoral contests.