The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party has taken a new turn following a Supreme Court judgment that set aside an earlier ruling recognising Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
The decision came against the backdrop of a high-level party meeting hosted by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and chaired by the party’s former presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. At the meeting, the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) ratified Abure’s removal and announced the constitution of a 29-member caretaker committee to stabilise the party’s affairs.
The caretaker committee is chaired by Mr Usman, who was appointed alongside 28 other members to oversee the party pending the resolution of its internal leadership disputes.
Abure, however, challenged the decision by approaching the Federal High Court in Abuja,
seeking judicial validation to remain in office as the National Chairman of the party.In April 2025, the Supreme Court delivered a decisive ruling on the matter, overturning the judgment of the Court of Appeal that had earlier recognised Abure as the Labour Party’s chairman. The apex court held that the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the internal leadership of a political party.
The five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, unanimously upheld the appeal filed by Usman, affirming the legitimacy of the caretaker committee constituted in September 2024.
The ruling has effectively reinforced the authority of the caretaker leadership, while further complicating Abure’s legal push to reclaim the party’s top position, as the Labour Party continues to grapple with internal realignments ahead of future political engagements.
