Court Ends Abure’s Reign in LP, Orders INEC to Recognise Nenadi Usman-led Team
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, removed Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately recognise the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the party’s authentic leadership.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that the lingering leadership crisis in the Labour Party had been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court in its April 4, 2025 ruling, which affirmed Usman, a former Minister of Finance, as head of the party’s caretaker committee pending the conduct of its next national convention.
The court ruled that, in compliance with the apex court’s decision, INEC was under a legal obligation to recognise the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the only body authorised to act for and on behalf of the Labour Party.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, instituted by Usman, in which Abure and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, were joined as defendants.
Justice Lifu said the documents and evidence placed before the court clearly established that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired. He dismissed Abure’s contention that the matter was a purely internal party affair beyond the court’s jurisdiction, stressing that issues relating to leadership tenure were justiciable and had already been determined by the Supreme Court.
The judge further held that the constitution of a caretaker committee became inevitable after the Supreme Court nullified earlier judgments that had favoured Abure’s continued stay in office.
The leadership crisis had earlier resulted in Abure’s removal by the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, which subsequently constituted a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Usman. The decision was reached at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, and hosted by the state governor, Mr. Alex Otti.
The Umuahia meeting, which ratified Abure’s removal, was presided over by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Dissatisfied with his removal, Abure approached the courts, insisting that he was duly elected and later reaffirmed as national chairman at the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, in March 2024.
While the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal initially ruled in Abure’s favour and directed INEC to recognise him as chairman, the Supreme Court subsequently overturned the decisions. The apex court upheld the appeal filed by Usman and the secretary of the caretaker committee, Mr. Darlington Nwokocha, and warned political parties against violating their constitutions and tenure limits.
Wednesday’s ruling by the Federal High Court effectively puts an end to Abure’s leadership claims and clears the way for the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee to formally assume control of the affairs of the Labour Party ahead of its next national convention.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication with Second Class(Upper Division) at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
