Court backs INEC, says Abure no longer Labour Party’s chairman

The leadership tussle in the Labour Party (LP) reached a turning point on Friday as the Federal High Court in Abuja threw out Julius Abure’s lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), cementing his exit as the party’s National Chairman.

In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, the court ruled it had no jurisdiction to entertain Abure’s claims — a decision that aligns with the Supreme Court’s April 4, 2025 judgment (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which invalidated his recognition as party leader.

Reacting to the verdict, LP’s Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman,  said the ruling “removes every lingering doubt” about Abure’s position.

“This is another unambiguous affirmation of the rule of law and the Supreme Court’s binding pronouncements,” Usman said. “The chapter is closed — we must put distractions behind us and rebuild the Labour Party into the disciplined, people-centred movement Nigerians deserve.”

INEC’s filings in court left no uncertainty about Abure’s status. The commission confirmed under oath that both his tenure and that of the National Executive Committee lapsed in June 2024. It further clarified that the controversial “Nnewi National Convention” of March 27, 2024 was not monitored or recognised because it breached the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s regulations, and the LP constitution.

Usman commended the electoral umpire’s “clarity, courage, and institutional integrity” in setting the record straight and called on party members to “respect the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the courts.”