Court sacks Julius Abure as Labour Party chair, names party's authentic leader

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

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In a ruling delivered Wednesday, the judge, Peter Lifu, cited the Supreme Court verdict of 4 April 2025 to declare former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, as the valid leader of the party.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ms Usman-led caretaker committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” pending the party’s national convention.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Ms Usman, suing Mr Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), INEC and others as defendants.

Mr Lifu held that evidence before the court showed Mr Abure’s tenure as national chairman had elapsed.

While dismissing his claim that the matter was an internal party issue that was not justiciable, the judge said the establishment of the LP caretaker committee was “a necessity” arising from the Supreme Court order.

The leadership crisis in the LP had earlier led the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to remove Mr Abure. To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Ms Usman.

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The committee was formed following an expanded stakeholders’ meeting hosted in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, by Governor Alex Otti. The meeting, where Mr Abure was removed, was chaired by his former ally and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Abure’s case

Dissatisfied with the decision, Mr Abure approached the Federal High Court to assert his position as national chairman.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Mr Abure said he was lawfully elected acting national chairman at a NEC meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on 29 March 2021.

He added that during the NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on 18 April 2023, tenures of state chairmen whose terms had expired were renewed, anti-party members were expelled, and vacancies filled in.

Mr Abure said he was subsequently elected national chairman at the party’s national convention on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra State. He noted that under his leadership, the party produced governorship candidates in Edo and Ondo states.

While both the High Court and Court of Appeal had earlier upheld Mr Abure’s position and ordered INEC to recognise him, the Supreme Court later overturned the rulings.

In the lead judgment delivered by a justice on the panel, Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by Ms Usman, chairman of the caretaker committee, and Darlington Nwokocha, the committee secretary.

The Supreme Court also rejected Mr Abure’s cross-appeal and reminded political parties to adhere strictly to their internal rules when appointing officers. The court had also instructed officials whose tenures had ended to step down from their positions.