LP group demands retraction of report against ex-Minister, Nenadi Usman

Some members of the Labour Party (LP), under the auspices of the Core Social Democrat (CSD) in the South South, on Tuesday, demanded retraction of a report against former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman. Eric Ifere, the Leader of CSD in the region and a legal practitioner, who stated this in a statement made […]

Some members of the Labour Party (LP), under the auspices of the Core Social Democrat (CSD) in the South South, on Tuesday, demanded retraction of a report against former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman.

Eric Ifere, the Leader of CSD in the region and a legal practitioner, who stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, demanded a public apology from the online platform.

It will be recalled that Senator Usman was appointed to lead the 29-member Caretaker Committee (CTC) of the Labour Party on September 4 during an extended stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia in Abia State.

The caretaker committee is to rescue the party from its current leadership crisis and organise a convention where a new leadership of the party would emerge from the ward to the national stage within 90 days.

However, the report alleged that the ex-minister who was appointed to lead the LP CTC, “is currently being prosecuted in various courts for alleged financial fraud.”

In a reaction to the report, Ifere said it is crucial to underline the unfairness of the situation.

“We, the Core Social Democrat members of the Labour Party of Nigeria in the South-South of Nigeria, have noticed the malicious lies against our newly appointed chairman of the caretaker committee of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman.

“We note that the publication stating that Senator Usman returned N140 million out of the N2.5 billion allegedly received from the office of the former National Security Adviser ahead of the 2015 Presidential elections and further surrendered two of her houses to the Federal Government as a condition for her release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC are false, unfounded and malicious,” he said.

The lawyer, who also made a certified true copy of the judgment of the Appeal Court sitting in Lagos available to the media, said: “Senator Nenadi Usman’s charges at the Federal High Court, Lagos, were quashed by the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos presided by Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi JCA of Lagos Division on the 20th day of April 2023 in Appeal NO CA/L/CR/541/2021.

“It is inappropriate for the publication to insinuate guilt against her when the Court of Appeal quashed the charges against her.”