The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Senator Esther Nenadi Usman’s leadership of the party.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on January 21, 2026, based his decision on the April 4, 2025, verdict of the Supreme Court, which had earlier declared Usman as the rightful leader of the party. The court’s judgment mandates that INEC immediately acknowledge the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the only legitimate authority representing the Labour Party until a national convention is held.
The case stemmed from a suit filed by Usman, who contested Abure’s leadership following a protracted internal crisis within the LP. Aside from Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) was also named as a defendant. Justice Lifu stated that Abure’s tenure had already expired, dismissing his argument that the matter was merely an internal issue of the party, which should not be subject to judicial review. The court also described the formation of the Caretaker Committee as “necessary” in line with the Supreme Court’s directive.
This decision follows the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where Abure was removed from office. The NEC appointed a 29-member caretaker committee, headed by former Finance Minister, Senator Usman, to manage the party’s affairs until the next convention. The meeting, held in Umuahia, was chaired by Peter Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate and a former ally of Abure.
Abure had contested the decision in court, claiming he was lawfully elected as National Chairman at the LP’s National Convention in March 2024. He argued that his leadership was endorsed at the Asaba NEC meeting in April 2023, which was monitored by INEC. Despite his previous legal victories, including court rulings in his favor, the Supreme Court ultimately nullified the decisions of the lower courts and upheld the LP’s internal leadership transition.
The ruling underscores the Supreme Court’s call for political parties to respect their internal rules and for officials whose tenures have expired to vacate their positions.
