The Labour Party’s leadership crisis took a decisive turn on Friday as the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed Julius Abure’s case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), affirming he is no longer the party’s National Chairman.
In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, the court struck out Abure’s suit for want of jurisdiction, echoing the Supreme Court’s April 4, 2025 ruling (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which nullified all prior recognitions of his leadership.
Reacting to the judgment, Interim National Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman, PhD, said the decision “removes every lingering doubt” about Abure’s status.
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“This is another unambiguous affirmation of the rule of law and the Supreme Court’s binding pronouncements,” Usman declared. “The chapter is closed — we must put distractions behind us and rebuild the Labour Party into the disciplined, people-centred movement Nigerians deserve.”
INEC’s counter-affidavit in the case left no room for ambiguity. The commission swore under oath that Abure’s tenure, along with that of the National Executive Committee, expired in June 2024, and that the controversial March 27, 2024 “Nnewi National Convention” was never monitored nor recognised because it violated the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC guidelines, and the LP constitution.
Usman praised INEC’s “clarity, courage, and institutional integrity” in stating the facts plainly and urged all LP members to “respect the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the courts.”
With bye-elections looming and the 2027 general elections in view, the ruling may finally end the factional battle that has dogged the party for over a year.