Victor EzejaNigeria’s Supreme Court has quashed the Abuja Court of Appeal judgment that recognised Julius Abure as the Labour Party’s national chairman.
A five-member Supreme Court panel unanimously ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to confirm Abure as chairman of the Labour Party because the matter that led to the dispute concerned the party’s leadership.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe apex court held that the subject of leadership was a party’s internal matter over which courts had no jurisdiction.
The court upheld an appeal filed against the judgment by Nenadi Usman, the party’s caretaker chairperson, who was appointed in September 2024.
The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Ms Usman’s appeal was valid, and it dismissed the cross-appeal brought by Mr Abure’s group of the LP as lacking merit.
Background of the Matter
Following concerns raised by Labour Party stakeholders that Abure’s tenure had ended and the implications on the party’s leadership, an extraordinary stakeholder meeting was held in Umuahia, Abia State, in September last year, where the Abure-led executive was removed from office.
Ms Usman, a former Minister of Finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, was appointed to lead a 29-member caretaker committee.
Peter Obi, LP’s presidential candidate in 2023, and Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate, were among the top party members who attended the meeting convened by Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti.
READ ALSO: Abure Calls On Obi To Unite Labour Party As Court Affirms His Leadership
The committee was given the task of organising a national party convention within 90 days to elect a new party leadership.
Concerns about the validity of the party’s leadership arose when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to recognize the Abure-led executive, arguing that the national convention organised by the Abure faction in Nnewi, Anambra State, in March 2024, where he was reelected, violated the constitution and Electoral Act.
INEC stated that the party failed to meet the legal requirements for organising the national convention, insisting that Abure’s tenure as LP national chairman expired in June 2024.
Abure and his team filed a suit at the Federal High Court to challenge that position and establish the legality of his tenure.
The High Court, in a judgment on 8 October 2024, affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the convention that produced the party executive.
The judge, Emeka Nwite, had ordered INEC to recognise Mr Abure as the legitimate chairman of the party.
The matter went to the appeal court, which also ruled in favour of Abure, upholding the judgment that recognised his leadership.
However, the Supreme Court’s judgment on Friday has overturned the rulings of the lower courts.
The apex court’s judgment, which held that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case since it was a matter of the party’s internal affairs, puts an end to the controversy by upholding Ms Usman’s appeal.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
