Court sacks Abure as LP chairman, backs Usman-led caretaker committee

julius abure

The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), citing a Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the legitimacy of the party’s caretaker leadership.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, relied on the Supreme Court verdict of April 4, 2025, to declare Nenadi Usman, former minister of finance, as the valid leader of the party pending the conduct of a national convention.

Lifu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Usman-led caretaker committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” until the party elects a substantive leadership.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Usman, who listed Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), INEC and others as defendants. In his decision, the judge held that evidence before the court showed that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired. He dismissed Abure’s argument that the dispute was an internal party matter not subject to judicial intervention, ruling instead that the establishment of a caretaker committee was “a necessity” arising from the Supreme Court’s directive.

The leadership crisis in the Labour Party had earlier prompted the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to remove Abure from office. To address the vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Usman.

The committee emerged from an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, and hosted by Alex Otti, the state’s governor. The meeting, which resolved to remove Abure, was chaired by Peter Obi, his former ally and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Abure, however, challenged his removal in court, insisting that he remained the party’s lawful national chairman.

In an affidavit supporting his case, Abure said he was duly elected acting national chairman at a NEC meeting held in Benin City, Edo State, on March 29, 2021. He further stated that at another NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on April 18, 2023, the party renewed the tenures of state chairmen whose terms had expired, expelled anti-party members and filled vacant positions.

According to him, he was subsequently elected national chairman at the party’s national convention held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State. He added that under his leadership, the party produced governorship candidates in Edo and Ondo states.

While the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had earlier upheld Abure’s position and directed INEC to recognise him, those decisions were later overturned by the Supreme Court.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court upheld the appeal filed by Usman, chairman of the caretaker committee, and Darlington Nwokocha, the committee’s secretary, while dismissing Abure’s cross-appeal.

The Supreme Court also reminded political parties to comply strictly with their constitutions and internal guidelines in appointing officers and directed officials whose tenures had expired to vacate their positions.

Taofeek Oyedokun is a correspondent at BusinessDay with years of experience reporting on political economy, public policy, migration, environment/climate change, and social justice. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Lagos, he has also earned multiple professional certificates in journalism and media-related training. Known for his clear, data-driven reporting, Oyedokun covers a wide range of national and international socioeconomic issues, bringing depth, balance, and public-interest focus to his work.

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