Labour Party leadership crisis resurfaced yesterday as the camps led by Julius Abure and Senator Nenadi Usman differed on the legitimacy of the party’s leadership.
While the Usman-led camp said the Supreme Court judgement recognised its leadership, the Abure faction said the Usman camp had joined the ADC coalition and had been ignoring court judgment.
A statement by senior special adviser on media to Usman, Ken Asogwa, in response to LP’s former vice presidential candidate, Dr. Baba-Ahmed, recent move to reconcile the party, said as much as he was entitled to his personal opinions and freedom of association, the leadership question within the Labour Party has been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“The attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to the recent participation of Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, our Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, in a meeting reportedly convened by the suspended former National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure. At the said gathering, Dr. Baba-Ahmed was alleged to have referred to Barr. Abure as the substantive National Chairman of the party.” She stated
She also said that while Dr. Baba-Ahmed, like every Nigerian, is entitled to his personal opinions and freedom of association, it is imperative that the leadership question within the Labour Party has been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
She said “For the sake of clarity, and to avoid further distortion of facts, the Labour Party wishes to reiterate the unequivocal verdict of the apex court as delivered on 4th April 2025. At page 47 of the judgement, Their Lordships held:
“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial court and the court below recognizing Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st Respondent are hereby set aside and suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction.”
She further said that the unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court by Nigeria’s highest judicial authority effectively nullifies any claim by Barr. Julius Abure to the office of National Chairman of the Labour Party. It also upholds the leadership of Senator Nenadi Usman, who was the appellant in the said matter and upon whose appeal all reliefs sought were granted.
“While the party respects the right of Dr. Baba-Ahmed and other members to hold personal views, it is important to remember that the acceptance of and adherence to the finality of the judgements of the Supreme Court has never been, and will never be, a matter of choice but compulsion. The Labour Party is bound by that finality and expects all members to align accordingly.
“We acknowledge Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s stated intention to foster reconciliation within the party. That in itself is commendable. However, such efforts must be rooted in truth, guided by respect for the rule of law, and anchored on the existing legal realities.
But the Julius Abure faction of the labour party said that Nenadi Usman, a member of the ADC coalition, and her supporters have been accused of ignoring a recent Supreme Court judgment regarding the lack of jurisdiction of courts in party matters.
The national publicity secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said “Despite the clear ruling that the lower courts had no authority to entertain the case, Usman and her allies have chosen to focus on a particular section of the judgment that suits their narrative.
“However, they argue that the Supreme Court’s ruling simply confirms that no court, including itself, has the power to intervene in internal party affairs.
“Despite the controversy, the Labour Party is looking ahead to the 2027 elections, with potential candidates expressing interest in working with the party. We are focused on the future and will not be swayed by distractions or criticism from detractors.”
“As the political landscape evolves, it is clear that some individuals are choosing to ignore past disputes and move forward with their goals, leaving behind any lingering controversies. The message to critics is clear, the Labour Party is forging ahead, undeterred by the noise of dissenting voices.” He stated.
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