A/Court seals Abure’s fate, affirms Nenadi Usman as LP chair

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by Julius Abure challenging the leadership of the Labour Party, affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as the party’s legitimate national chairman and awarding a N10 million cost against him for abuse of court process.

In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, on Tuesday, a three-member panel upheld the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, which recognised Usman as the rightful leader of the party.

The appellate court reaffirmed that the Supreme Court had, on April 4, 2025, conclusively resolved the Labour Party leadership dispute by nullifying the convention that returned Abure as national chairman. It held that the decision was final and binding, leaving no room for further litigation on the matter.

The court also sustained the January 21 judgement of Justice Peter Lifu, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Usman as the party’s national chairman to the exclusion of all others.

On the question of jurisdiction, the appellate court agreed that Section 251 of the Constitution empowers the Federal High Court to compel federal agencies to perform their statutory duties, thereby validating the order directing INEC to accord recognition to Usman.

It further upheld the legality of the caretaker committee led by Usman, describing it as a product of necessity arising from a leadership vacuum within the party.

The justices were critical of Abure’s actions, faulting him for engaging in forum shopping at a Nasarawa State High Court on an issue already settled by the Supreme Court, and for continuing to lay claim to the party’s leadership in defiance of subsisting judicial pronouncements.

Describing the appeal as lacking merit and constituting an abuse of court process, the court imposed a N10 million cost on Abure.

Reacting, Usman hailed the judgement as a victory for democracy and the rule of law, commending the judiciary for upholding justice despite what she described as attempts to undermine its integrity.