The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman–led Caretaker Committee as the party’s legitimate leadership.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court relied on the April 4, 2025 decision of the Supreme Court to affirm Senator Usman, a former Minister of Finance, as the valid leader of the party pending the conduct of a national convention.
Justice Lifu held that Abure’s tenure as LP national chairman had expired and dismissed his argument that the dispute was an internal party matter not subject to judicial intervention. The court ruled that the constitution of the Labour Party Caretaker Committee was a necessary step arising from the apex court’s verdict.
Consequently, the court directed INEC to immediately recognise the Nenadi Usman–led Caretaker Committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party” until a national convention is held.
The judgment followed a suit marked THC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, filed by Senator Usman. Julius Abure and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were listed as defendants in the case.
The leadership crisis in the Labour Party had earlier prompted the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove Abure from office and set up a 29-member caretaker committee, chaired by Senator Usman, to manage the party’s affairs.
The decision was taken at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, and hosted by Governor Alex Otti. The meeting was chaired by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, who was formerly an ally of Abure.
Abure had challenged his removal in court, seeking validation of his position as national chairman. In an affidavit supporting his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, he claimed he was lawfully elected acting national chairman at an NEC meeting in Benin City on March 29, 2021, following the death of the party’s former chairman.
He further argued that his position was reaffirmed at subsequent NEC meetings, including one held in Asaba, Delta State, on April 18, 2023, which he said was monitored by INEC, and at the party’s national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, on March 27, 2024.
Although the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal initially ruled in Abure’s favour and ordered INEC to recognise him, the Supreme Court later overturned the decisions.
In its lead judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Usman and the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, while dismissing Abure’s cross-appeal. The Supreme Court also urged political parties to adhere strictly to their constitutions and advised officials whose tenures have expired to vacate office accordingly.
