By Maureen Okpe
The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the authentic leadership of the party.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Peter Lifu held that Abure’s tenure had expired and that his continued stay in office was inconsistent with the party’s constitution and binding judicial pronouncements. The court affirmed Usman, a former Minister of Finance, as head of the Labour Party’s caretaker leadership pending the conduct of a national convention.
Justice Lifu anchored his decision on the April 4, 2025 judgment of the Supreme Court, which faulted Abure’s continued occupation of the office and set aside earlier decisions that had upheld his chairmanship. The judge ruled that the apex court’s position was final and binding on all lower courts.
Consequently, the court directed INEC to immediately accord recognition to the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the only lawful authority empowered to act on behalf of the Labour Party. “The Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby ordered to recognise the claimant-led caretaker committee as the legitimate leadership of the Labour Party,” Justice Lifu.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, was instituted by Usman, with Abure and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) listed among the defendants. The court held that the evidence before it clearly established that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had elapsed, creating a leadership vacuum within the party.
Justice Lifu dismissed Abure’s contention that the matter was an internal party dispute outside the court’s jurisdiction. He held that issues relating to tenure, leadership legitimacy and compliance with a party’s constitution were justiciable. According to him, judicial intervention became unavoidable following the Supreme Court’s pronouncement on the illegality of Abure’s continued stay in office.
The court further upheld the constitution of a caretaker committee, describing it as a lawful and necessary step taken to stabilise the party after the expiration of Abure’s tenure. It noted that the leadership crisis had prompted the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee to dissolve the former leadership and constitute a 29-member caretaker committee chaired by Usman.
Abure’s removal was ratified at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, convened by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. The meeting, which endorsed the caretaker arrangement, was presided over by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Abure had challenged his removal, insisting that he was duly elected and later re-elected at the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, in March 2024. Although both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal initially ruled in his favour and ordered INEC to recognise him, those decisions were subsequently overturned by the Supreme Court.
In reaffirming the apex court’s position, Justice Lifu said political parties must strictly adhere to their constitutions and respect tenure limits, stressing that failure to do so invites judicial scrutiny and sanctions.