The Supreme Court of Nigeria has today, April 4, 2025, ruled in favor of Julius Abure, affirming his position as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). The judgment, delivered by a five-member panel of the Court, emphasized that leadership disputes within political parties are internal affairs that should not be interfered with by courts.
The Supreme Court criticized the lower courts for involving themselves in matters concerning the leadership of the party, which it deemed outside their jurisdiction. As a result, the court struck out the appeal brought by Senator Nenadi Usman at the Court of Appeal and dismissed the Labour Party suit at the trial court.
In its ruling, the Court confirmed that previous judgments from the High Court and the Court of Appeal, which upheld Julius Abure's position as the National Chairman, remain valid. Specifically, the Court upheld the Appeal Court's judgment in Labour Party vs Ebiseni and 2 others (CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024) from November 13, 2024, which affirmed Abure's leadership.
The decision firmly establishes that Abure remains the duly recognized National Chairman of the Labour Party, reinforcing the constitutional provisions that give the party’s leadership the authority to choose its leaders. According to the party’s constitution, the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abure, is the legitimate governing body of the party.
The Labour Party has also stated that the recent gathering in Umuahia, where some individuals claimed Abure’s leadership had been ousted, was not in accordance with the party’s constitution and is therefore invalid. The party further clarified that the National Convention, held on March 27, 2024, which led to the election of the current leadership, was in full compliance with the party’s internal processes and was duly recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement following the ruling, the Labour Party called on all its members to respect the Supreme Court’s judgment and resolve party issues internally, rather than resorting to legal actions. It reiterated that political parties have the exclusive right to select their leaders, and that the decision of the party must be respected by all its members.
The party also emphasized that Julius Abure’s leadership remains intact and that the ruling is a testament to the strength and autonomy of the Labour Party's structures.
With the matter now settled by the highest court in the land, the Labour Party’s leadership is urging its members to unite behind Abure and focus on advancing the party's objectives.
