Supreme Court Removes Abure, Affirms Nenadi Usman As LP Chair

The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure from his position as National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

In a ruling delivered Wednesday, Judge Peter Lifu referred to the Supreme Court verdict of 4 April 2025 to declare former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, as the party’s valid leader.

The court instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ms Usman-led caretaker committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” pending the party’s national convention.

The judgment followed a lawsuit filed by Ms Usman against Mr Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), INEC, and other parties as defendants.

Mr Lifu noted that evidence presented in court showed Mr Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired.

While dismissing his claim that the dispute was an internal party matter and therefore not justiciable, the judge said the formation of the LP caretaker committee was “a necessity” arising from the Supreme Court order.

The leadership dispute had earlier prompted the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove Mr Abure. To fill the leadership gap, the party established a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Ms Usman.

The committee was formed following an expanded stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, Abia State, hosted by Governor Alex Otti. At the meeting, where Mr Abure was removed, Peter Obi, his former ally and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, presided.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Mr Abure approached the Federal High Court to assert his continued position as national chairman.

In an affidavit supporting his suit, Mr Abure stated he was lawfully elected acting national chairman at a NEC meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on 29 March 2021.

He added that during a NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on 18 April 2023, tenures of state chairmen whose terms had expired were renewed, anti-party members were expelled, and vacancies filled.

Mr Abure said he was later elected national chairman at the party’s national convention on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra State, and noted that under his leadership, the party produced governorship candidates in Edo and Ondo states.

While both the High Court and Court of Appeal had previously upheld Mr Abure’s position and ordered INEC to recognise him, the Supreme Court later overturned those rulings.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by Ms Usman, chairman of the caretaker committee, and Darlington Nwokocha, the committee secretary.

The Supreme Court also rejected Mr Abure’s cross-appeal and reminded political parties to adhere strictly to their internal rules when appointing officers. The court instructed officials whose tenures had ended to step down from their positions.