Court affirms removal of Abure as Labour Party national chairman

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly upheld the removal of Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, marking a significant development in the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.

In its ruling, the court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate leadership of the party.

The judgment was made public by prominent human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who disclosed the outcome in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter). Effiong stated that he was personally present at the Federal High Court when the judgment was delivered in the related case

According to him, the ruling effectively settles the leadership dispute within the Labour Party by affirming the authority of the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee and ending Abure’s tenure as national chairman.

Effiong stated that Justice Lifu delivering judgment on Wednesday, upheld the Nenadi Usman-led committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party, reaffirming that Abure’s tenure had elapsed in line with an earlier Supreme Court judgment.

The court consequently directed INEC to immediately recognize Nenadi Usman as the party’s leader.

He wrote: “I am currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a case. I listened to judgement delivered in an another case.

“Honourable Justice Lifu has just upheld Senator Nnadi Esther Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party.

“The Judge reaffirmed that by the Supreme Court’s judgement, Julius Abure’s tenure had since elapsed.

“The judge ordered INEC to recognize Nnadi Usman forthwith.