Court removes Abure as Labour Party chair, orders INEC to recognise Nenadi Usman-led leadership

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately recognise the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the party’s legitimate leadership.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Peter Lifu held that Abure’s tenure had expired and voided his continued claim to the office. The court relied on the April 4, 2025, judgment of the Supreme Court to affirm that former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, is the valid leader of the party pending the conduct of a national convention.

Justice Lifu directed INEC to “forthwith recognise” the Usman-led Caretaker Committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party.”

The ruling followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, filed by Usman, with Abure and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) listed as defendants.

The judge rejected Abure’s argument that the matter bordered on the internal affairs of a political party and was therefore non-justiciable. He held that the establishment of the Caretaker Committee was a “necessity” arising from the Supreme Court’s decision on the party’s leadership crisis.

The crisis had earlier prompted the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove Abure as chairman and set up a 29-member caretaker committee headed by Usman. The decision was taken at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting hosted by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, in Umuahia, and chaired by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Dissatisfied, Abure approached the Federal High Court seeking validation of his position, insisting he was duly elected chairman at the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, in March 2024. He also cited earlier NEC meetings and claimed his leadership produced candidates for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

Although both the High Court and the Court of Appeal initially ruled in Abure’s favour and ordered INEC to recognise him, the Supreme Court overturned the decisions.

In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court upheld the appeal filed by Senator Usman and the Caretaker Committee’s Secretary, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, while dismissing Abure’s cross-appeal.

The Supreme Court further urged political parties to strictly adhere to their constitutions and rules, warning party officials whose tenures have expired to vacate office when due.

Wednesday’s ruling effectively seals Abure’s removal and affirms Nenadi Usman’s leadership of the Labour Party.