The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, as the lawful leader of the Labour Party (LP).
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court upheld Usman’s leadership based on the April 4, 2025 decision of the Supreme Court and consequently removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.
Justice Lifu directed INEC to immediately recognise the Nenadi Usman–led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid authority representing the Labour Party, pending the conduct of a national convention.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Usman, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, in which Abure and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) were named as defendants.
The judge held that evidence before the court clearly showed that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had expired, stressing that the party could not be left without leadership. He dismissed Abure’s argument that the matter was an internal party affair and therefore non-justiciable, ruling instead that the constitution of a caretaker committee was a direct consequence of the Supreme Court’s decision.
Justice Lifu stated that all issues raised by Usman were resolved in her favour, adding that any contrary decision would amount to judicial rascality and insubordination to the apex court. He therefore reaffirmed Abure’s removal and ordered INEC to recognise the Usman-led caretaker committee as the party’s lawful leadership.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had earlier resolved to remove Abure following a prolonged leadership crisis. To fill the leadership vacuum, a 29-member caretaker committee was constituted, with Usman appointed as chairman.
The decision was taken at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, and hosted by Governor Alex Otti. The meeting was chaired by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, a former ally of Abure.
Abure had challenged his removal by filing a separate suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking validation of his position as national chairman. In an affidavit supporting his case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, Abure claimed he was lawfully elected acting national chairman at a NEC meeting in Benin City on March 29, 2021.
He further argued that at a NEC meeting in Asaba on April 18, 2023—monitored by INEC—the party renewed the tenures of some state chairmen, expelled certain members for alleged anti-party activities, and filled vacant positions. According to him, these resolutions culminated in the party’s national convention held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State, where he said he was elected national chairman.
Although both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal initially ruled in Abure’s favour and ordered INEC to recognise him, those decisions were overturned by the Supreme Court, which nullified the concurrent judgments of the two lower courts.