THIS DAWN — The former National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, has announced plans to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court, which kicked him out and recognised Esther Nenadi Usman’s Caretaker Committee as the legitimate leadership of the party.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, declared Usman, a former Minister of Finance, as Caretaker Chairman.
Abure described the decision as a misinterpretation of the April 4, 2025, Supreme Court verdict.
The apex court had emphasised that leadership disputes within political parties are internal matters beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
Party’s Reaction
Abure made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abuja by the former Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.
The Abure-led faction rejected the judgment, calling it a “clear contradiction” of the Supreme Court’s earlier pronouncement.
“The Supreme Court clearly stated that no court has the power to appoint leadership for any political party.
“Leadership issues are internal affairs of the party.
“This judgment is alien to our constitution and will not stand,” the statement read.
The party expressed relief that the Federal High Court is not the final arbiter in the matter, pledging to take its case to the Court of Appeal.
Concerns Over Judicial Process
Speaking further, Ifoh highlighted what he described as “red flags” in the handling of the case.
He noted that the matter was initially assigned to Justice Omotosho but was later reassigned to Justice Lifu under questionable circumstances.
“Before today’s judgment, we suspected it may go this way because of the body language around the court.
“The case was first filed before Justice Omotosho, but suddenly another matter was filed which was materially similar.
“The one before Omotosho was withdrawn and reassigned to Justice Lifu. That was a red flag,” Ifoh said.
He also alleged that the court denied the party the opportunity to respond to issues raised in counter-affidavits filed by opposing parties, before quickly adjourning for judgment.
Allegations of Pre-Judgment Jubilation
The former Labour Party spokesperson claimed that adversaries of the Abure-led faction had been celebrating weeks before the ruling was delivered.
According to him, that suggests foreknowledge of the outcome.
“Our adversaries were jubilating all over social media, telling everyone that they had already won and that the judiciary would hand over the party to Dr. Alex Otti.
“This was another red flag,” Ifoh added.
Contradictions with Supreme Court Position
The Abure faction argued that the judgment directly contradicts the Supreme Court’s stance on political party leadership disputes.
“The Court of Appeal had earlier pronounced Julius Abure’s National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of the party.
“That pronouncement was what Nenadi Usman challenged at the Supreme Court, claiming the lower courts were wrong to pronounce someone as Chairman.
“Ironically, today, a Federal High Court has turned around to pronounce her as Caretaker Chairman.
“What is the judiciary turning into?” Ifoh asked.
He stressed that the Supreme Court had consistently declined jurisdiction in matters relating to internal party affairs.
He also pointed out that it never declared that the tenure of the Abure-led executive had expired.
Tenure and Convention
The Labour Party maintained that its leadership remains valid, pointing to the National Convention held on March 27, 2024.
The Convention had produced the current executives before the expiration of the previous tenure in June 2024.
“For the court to state that the tenure had expired and a vacuum created is laughable.
“The convention was valid and legal, and it created the present leadership.
“It is curious how the court arrived at holding that there was a vacuum without examining the validity of the convention,” Ifoh said.
Call for Calm
Despite its strong rejection of the ruling, the Abure-led faction urged members and supporters to remain calm.
The leadership assured that it would pursue justice through lawful means and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the party’s integrity.
“The Labour Party is not for sale. No amount of financial power will make us abdicate our leadership position.
“We will do everything within the law to ensure justice is served in the interest of the party,” the statement concluded.
With the appeal process set to begin, the Labour Party’s internal crisis appears far from over.
The ruling has deepened divisions within the party, but the Abure leadership insists that reconciliation and unity remain possible once the legal battles are resolved.
As the matter heads to the Court of Appeal, political observers note that the outcome will have significant implications.
This may affect the Labour Party’s internal cohesion, as well as its role as a major opposition force in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
On her part, the Labour Party Chairman, Dr. Nenadi Usman, hailed the Federal High Court’s judgment affirming her position as party leader.
She described it as both a triumph for democracy and a decisive turning point for the Labour Party.
