The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reaffirmed that Julius Abure is the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Hamma Barka, declared that its previous ruling on November 13, 2024, which recognized Abure’s position as the national chairman, stands and has not been overturned by any other court.
Justice Barka delivered this ruling while resolving two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, the Labour Party caretaker committee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In both appeals, the appellate court clarified that it did not address the issue of Labour Party leadership, as such matters are not subject to judicial review.
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The court further explained that any action taken outside the court’s jurisdiction is void, and therefore, the Federal High Court’s ruling on October 8, 2024, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, holds no legal effect, as it was issued without jurisdiction.
In dismissing the suit due to lack of jurisdiction, the appellate court reaffirmed its November 13, 2024, judgment, confirming that “Abure remains National Chairman of the Labour Party.”
Background of Abure and Labour Party legal battle
In February 2023, Oluchi Oparah, the party’s national treasurer, accused Abure of misappropriating N3.5 billion, a claim the LP chairman denied while threatening legal action.
The allegation led to calls from party members for Abure’s removal.
In April 2023, the FCT high court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the LP.
While ruling on an ex parte application, Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary; and Opara; from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
On September 4, Usman, a former senator representing Kaduna south, was appointed to chair a 29-member caretaker committee after Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, convened a stakeholders meeting of the party in Umuahia.
Peter Obi, LP’s presidential candidate in 2023, and Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate, were among the top party members that attended the meeting.
INEC had also invalidated Abure’s leadership, saying the national convention violated the constitution and Electoral Act.
The electoral body said the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention, insisting that Abure’s tenure as LP national chair expired in June 2024.
But in a judgment on October 8, the federal high court affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the party executives.
Nwite ordered INEC to recognise Abure as the legitimate chairman of the party.
