By Abuja, Nigeria
The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party took a twist yesterday as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja sacked Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.
The judge, Peter Lifu, in a ruling cited the Supreme Court verdict of April 4, 2025 to declare former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, as the valid leader of the party, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the 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 Senator Usman, challenging 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 and setting up a caretaker committee chaired by Senator Usman.
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.
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.
