A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed the appeal filed by Julius Abure challenging the leadership of the Labour Party, thereby affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as the party’s recognised leader.
The appellate court also imposed a fine of N10 million against Abure, describing the case as a waste of judicial time and an abuse of court process over an issue already settled by higher courts.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had earlier upheld a Supreme Court decision which removed Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Usman as the legitimate leader of the party.
Dissatisfied with that ruling, Abure approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the decision.
However, in its lead judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s verdict in full.
The court held that the Supreme Court had already resolved the leadership dispute on April 4, 2025, when it nullified the convention that produced Abure as National Chairman.
It further agreed that the Federal High Court had the constitutional authority under Section 251 to compel INEC to recognise Usman as the party’s legitimate leader.
The justices also validated the formation of the caretaker committee led by Usman, describing it as a necessary intervention to address a leadership vacuum within the party.
The court criticised Abure for forum shopping and filing parallel actions in different courts despite a subsisting Supreme Court judgment, describing his actions as an abuse of judicial process.
It ruled that the appeal lacked merit and was not sustainable in law.
Reacting to the judgment, Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
She commended the judiciary for maintaining its independence and resisting attempts to undermine the legal process.
The decision effectively consolidates Usman’s position as the recognised leadership authority within the Labour Party, pending any further legal action.
