The chairman of the Labour Party (LP) national caretaker committee, Senator Nenadi Usman, has described the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify an appeal recognising Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman as a victory for the rule of law.
LEADERSHIP reports that the apex court had in a verdict delivered on Friday ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to affirm Abure’s chairmanship, as issues related to party leadership fall under internal party affairs, which courts are not empowered to adjudicate on.
The leadership tussle within the LP began when Oluchi Oparah, the party’s national treasurer, accused Abure of misappropriating N3.5 billion—a claim he denied, threatening legal action. The allegations fueled internal dissent, leading to calls for his removal.
In April 2023, an Abuja High Court restrained Abure and other national officers from parading themselves as leaders of the party. This decision set the stage for a prolonged legal dispute.
Amidst the crisis, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State convened a stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, leading to the appointment of Senator Nenadi Usman as the head of a 29-member caretaker committee in September 2024. Peter Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, were among those who attended the Umuahia meeting.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had invalidated Abure’s leadership, citing irregularities in the party’s national convention and stating that his tenure expired in June 2024.
However, in October 2024, the Federal High Court upheld Abure’s leadership and validated the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the party’s executives. The Court of Appeal later ruled in November 2024 that Abure remained the party’s national chairman, a decision that stood until the Supreme Court’s Friday’s judgement.
Justice Hamma Barka, delivering the lead judgement for the apex court, held that the Court of Appeal should not have ruled on the party’s leadership as it lacked jurisdiction over such matters. Consequently, the Supreme Court voided the federal high court’s earlier ruling that affirmed Abure’s leadership.
However, reacting to the ruling, Usman described it as a “significant milestone” for Nigeria’s democracy and emphasized the need for unity within the party.
“It is important to emphasize that this is not a time for triumphalism—there is no victor and no vanquished,” she said in a statement.
“What matters most is our shared commitment to the ideals and aspirations of the Labour Party and the Nigerian people. We must now come together, united in purpose and vision, to move the party forward.
“The Labour Party remains one indivisible family, steadfast in its mission to create a New Nigeria founded on justice, equity, and people-centred governance.”
She urged party members and supporters to remain committed to the democratic values that define the LP as it navigates this transition.
