Abure Vows To Appeal His Sacking By Abuja Court

A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led caretaker leadership of the party.

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Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu anchored the decision on an April 4, 2025, Supreme Court ruling, which settled the leadership dispute in favour of Usman, pending the party’s next national convention.

The judge ordered INEC to immediately recognise the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate authority authorised to act for and on behalf of the Labour Party.

The decision followed a suit filed by Usman, in which Abure and the Nigeria Labour Congress were joined as defendants. Justice Lifu held that the documents and evidence showed Abure’s tenure had expired.

However, Abure-led faction said it will appeal the judgment, claiming it contradicts the Supreme Court’s verdict that no court can appoint leadership for a political party.

In a statement, the Abure led Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the judgment misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s verdict and will be appealed.

The party accused the court of refusing them the opportunity to respond to counter-affidavits and adjourning for judgment, calling it a “red flag”.

“We will appeal the judgement, hence we urge members to remain calm for the party’s interest,” Ifoh said.

However, in the judgement delivered by Justice Lifu, the court relied on the April 4, 2025, verdict of the Supreme Court to declare a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, as the valid leader of the party, and consequently ordered INEC to, forthwith, recognise the Caretaker Committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” pending when the party convenes a national convention.

The former minister had in a suit marked  FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, prayed the court to declare her as the authentic national chairman of the party.

Justice Lifu held that evidence before him established that Abure’s tenure as the national chairman of the LP had since elapsed.

While dismissing Abure’s contention that the matter was an internal affair of a political party that is non-justiceable, the court held that the setting up of the LP Caretaker Committee was “a necessity” that arose from the order of the Supreme Court.

Following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.

To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with the former Finance Minister, Usman as Chairman.

The decision was the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party that was hosted in Umuahia by governor Alex Otti of Abia State.

The meeting where Abure was sacked from office was chaired by his former ally and candidate of the party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Abure approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to validate his position as the National Chairman of the party.

In an affidavit he personally deposed to in support of the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, Abure told the court that following the death of the National Chairman of the LP, he was lawfully elected as the Acting National Chairman of the party at a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the party that held in Benin City, Edo State, on March 29, 2021.

He told the court that on April 18, 2023, at the NEC meeting of the party held in Asaba, Delta State and duly monitored by INEC, it was resolved that tenures of State Chairmen whose tenures had expired, be renewed.

He said it was at the same meeting that some members that were engaged in anti-party activities were expelled and replacements for vacant positions created as a result of the expulsion, done.

Abure averred that in line with a consensus that was reached at the meeting, the party subsequently held its National Convention on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi, Anambra State, where we was lawfully elected to the office of National Chairman of the LP.

He said the party under his leadership produced candidates for governorship elections in both Edo and Ondo states.

While both the high court and the court of appeal upheld Abure’s case and ordered INEC to recognize him, he was however dislodged by the Supreme Court which nullified the concurrent decisions of the two lower courts

In its lead judgement that was prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court allowed the appeal that was filed by Chairman and Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, respectively.

The Supreme Court equally dismissed a Cross Appeal that was filed by Abure, even as enjoined political parties to always abide by their own rules in the appointment of its officers.

It further implored officials of political parties whose tenures have elapsed to learn to vacate their positions.