Labour Party Leadership Crisis: Supreme Court CTC Declares Abure’s Chairmanship Null and Void

Contrary to Julius Abure’s claim that the Supreme Court did not sack him as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, has revealed that his cross-appeal was dismissed and deemed unmeritorious.

The court also declared his tenure expired.

Also, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged party members not to be afraid of anyone, but speak up, because Nigeria was in a state of collapse and urgently needed rescue.

But the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on Wednesday, led a high-level delegation of the party to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja to submit the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgement on the leadership crisis in the party.

Following the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on the leadership tussle in Labour Party, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Police and other security agencies to step in and enforce pronouncement of the court of law by quitting the Julius Abure- led executives from the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

But the Abure faction of the party has described the threat by the NLC to invade its offices nationwide as a subtle blackmail to make the Abure-led leadership look like a villain before INEC and security agencies in the country.

The party, however, said it would seek the protection of the security agencies and mobilise members across the nation to resist the invasion of its offices nationwide.

However, in its judgment, the Supreme Court actually overturned previous rulings from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, both of which had recognised Abure as the Labour Party’s National Chairman.

The apex court ruled that the lower courts lacked jurisdiction over the matter, as leadership disputes within a political party were internal issues.

The judgment was delivered by a five-member panel, with Justice John Okoro’s lead judgment emphasising that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, had no jurisdiction to address this issue.

The court also dismissed Abure’s cross-appeal, calling it unmeritorious, while accepting the main appeal brought by Senator Nenadi Usman, the chairperson of the Labour Party’s Caretaker Committee.

In conclusion, the Supreme Court’s judgment not only removed Abure from office but also served as a cautionary message to political parties to respect their constitutions and the rules governing party leadership, which was the only part Abure has been holding on to.

Justice Okoro’s lead judgment, which was read by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, stated: “Earlier in this judgment, I mentioned that the trial judge, after carefully reviewing the case of the 1st respondent—along with the attached exhibits and counter-affidavits—concluded that the central issue in the case was the leadership dispute within the 1st Respondent, which the court lacked jurisdiction to address.

“The trial judge should have stopped there and struck out the suit. Going further to make pronouncements, especially on relief number five (5) sought in the case, amounted to unjustifiably assuming jurisdiction over the internal affairs of the 1st respondent and declaring Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party. This should not have been done.

“I have also reviewed the judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024: Labour Party (LP) Vs. Chief Olusola Nehemiah Ebiseni, which the court below referenced in affirming Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.

“To my surprise, I found that the subject of that appeal was about determining the authentic Labour Party candidate for the Ondo State Governorship Election held on November 16, 2024, between Chief Nehemiah Ebiseni and Dr. Olurunfemi Ayodele Festus.

“The dispute centred on whose name should be published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate. The trial court favoured Chief Ebiseni, who emerged after a fresh election on July 18, 2024, following Dr. Ayodele’s alleged voluntary withdrawal. The lower court’s judgment favored Dr. Ayodele, having found that he did not withdraw from the contest.

“There was no issue in that appeal regarding the leadership dispute within the Labour Party specifically presented for the court’s determination.

“In this case, the court below, after recognising that the 1st respondent’s main relief was relief number five (5), based on the leadership of the 1st respondent and thus not justiciable, strayed beyond its jurisdiction into the realm where even the angels dread to tread to pronounce Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent.

“The law applicable here is as expressed in the Latin maxim: Nihil non-expetant aedificare store, meaning that ‘one cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand’. The 1st respondent’s suit at the trial court had no legs to stand in the circumstances and deserves to be struck out.

“Permit me, at this point, to reiterate the trite position of the law that if a court is bereft of jurisdiction to entertain the main relief in an action, it will not have the ancillary claim, and more so if the ancillary claim will inevitably involve a discussion of the main claim, as in this case.”

The three issues submitted for determination were resolved in favour of the appellants.

“In summary, both the trial court and the court below lacked jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent’s suit, whose main relief, as observed, was relief number five (5), treated as an appendage.

“As a result, the decisions of both the trial court and the court below, which recognised Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent, are set aside, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is struck out for want of jurisdiction.

“In the same vein, the 1st respondent’s cross-appeal in Appeal No. SC/CV/564/2025, stemming from the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed.

“Before I am done, may I admonish political parties and their members to endeavour to always allow their constitutions, rules, regulations and guidelines to guide them in choosing their officers as well as candidates.

“That way, incessant internal rifts which always find their way to court would be reduced. If the constitution of a political party has prescribed duration for tenure of office of an officer, such officer should be humble enough to at the expiration of the tenure.

“In the final analysis, I find this appeal to be meritorious and is hereby allowed. Each party shall bear their respective costs. Appeal allowed.”

Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged party members not to be afraid of anyone, but speak up because Nigeria was in a state of collapse and urgently needs rescue.

Obi spoke while addressing party members during the ongoing National Executive Council (NEC) meeting led by Senator Nenadi Usman in Abuja.

According to Obi, “Do not fear anybody. Those who were afraid yesterday didn’t do any better. We must speak out when things are going wrong. Nigeria is collapsing. The numbers are clear; the indices are clear—people are getting poorer every day,” he stated.

He emphasised the need for unity and inclusion within the party, adding: “Labour Party has chosen to be a family, and we must do everything as a family. It’s not about Peter Obi’s choice; it’s everyone’s choice. This family excludes no one. We want to build a party that is fair and just.

“We want to go into the next election fully prepared, offering Nigerians the best and most competent candidates for the House of Representatives, the senate, governorships, and the presidency.”

He also stressed the importance of party loyalty and competence among aspirants.

“We want to correct the mistakes we made in the past. Anyone seeking to contest under our party must be a committed member, not just someone passing through. They must be competent.”

Abia State Governor, Otti, however, announced that the caretaker committee had received a certified true copy of the supreme court judgement, and would be submitted to INEC.

“I want to say that we welcome the Supreme Court judgment of last Friday which Certified True Copy just arrived a few minutes ago. The 48-page document was very clear in saying that it is all of you seated here that constitute the leadership of the party.

‘’I also want to make a point that we are law-abiding people. We sat on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia where we unanimously elected a 29-man caretaker committee.

“Shortly after that exercise, our brothers on the other side went to court and got a judgment that pronounced them the leaders of the party.

“If we are not law-abiding, we would have started dragging the office. But we all said since there was a court judgment, let us follow the process which ended last Friday.

‘’We expected that everybody who actually want the survival of democracy and progress of this country and Labour Party would have accepted that judgment. In any case, we have no choice because the Supreme Court is the final arbiter in matters like this. So you may not like the judgment but you must obey it.

‘’The same issue submitted for determination and I am quoting are hereby jointly in the favour of the appellants. And the appellants are Distinguished Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha.

‘’In summary, both the trial courts and the one below has no jurisdiction to entertain the first respondent who is Julius Abure.

“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial courts and the one below in recognising Julius Abure as the national chairman of the party is hereby set aside and struck out for want of jurisdiction.

‘’In the vein, the first respondent cross-appeal being an offshoot of the same judgement of the courts below is hereby dismissed.

‘’But I also gave Abure some piece of advice, saying if I were you, I wouldn’t want to lead people who don’t want me as a leader. So, we are still extending the olive branch to him and his former National Working Committee.

‘’The leadership of every party should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of their tenure,’’ he stated.

Otti, has however led a high-level delegation of the party to the headquarters of INEC in Abuja to submit the supreme court’s judgement on the leadership of the party.

The electoral body in a post on its verified X handle said the delegation was received by INEC’s Acting Chairman, Mr. Sam Olumekun, and other National Commissioners.

“During the visit, Governor Otti formally presented a Certified True Copy of the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership.

“He noted that the meeting was aimed at fostering clarity, mutual understanding, and institutional alignment regarding the LP’s current structure.”

The commission added that both parties engaged in discussions centred on enhancing collaboration and reinforcing democratic values.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.

The NEC of the caretaker also passed a resolution ratifying the caretaker Committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman.

All Labour party senators led by Senator Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye and members of the House of Representatives, state assembly members from the states, all candidates that contested the 2023 general election as well as Barrister Olumide Akpata, former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), who was the governorship candidate for the Edo 2024 gubernatorial election were present.