The battle for the leadership of the Labour Party took a fresh twist on Friday after the Supreme Court set aside an earlier ruling recognising the Anambra convention that ratified the re-election of the Julius Abure’s National Working Committee.
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which recognised Abure’s leadership.
The apex court, in its decision, emphasised that matters relating to party leadership were internal affairs, which the judiciary had no jurisdiction.
The court also observed that based on the submissions before it, Abure’s tenure had already expired.
Consequently, it dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the Labour Party.
While the media was awash with news that Abure had been sacked by the apex court, the party leadership released a statement that the judgment was misinterpreted.
The National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement in Abuja, hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court, saying it validated the party’s position that political matters were strictly internal affairs.
A few hours later, the party called for a press conference where the spokesman also refuted the report making the rounds that the apex court sacked the party leadership.
Abure’s absence raises eyebrows
The absence of Abure, who was said to be mourning his father-in-law, was felt at the media briefing.
Ifoh said, “The Supreme Court judgment didn’t sack Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure. Rather, it rightly upheld the preceding and accumulated High Court and appeal court judgments upholding the immutability of responsibility of Labour Party structures to choose its leaders.
“The judgement did not also set aside the Appeal Court judgement in Labour Party vs Ebiseni and two others (CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024) delivered on 13 November 2024, which affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. The judgement is still valid and subsisting and has not been appealed.
“The implication is very clear. Abure remains the Labour Party national chairman. The question is: who are the leaders of the party? The party constitution is clear as to who the leaders of the party are. The leadership of the party has been the National Working Committee led by Barrister Julius Abure.”
Continuing, the LP spokesman said the party’s constitution was also clear on who had the power to call for the national convention or any national meeting.
He hinged his argument on Article 14 of the 2024 constitution as amended, which gives powers to the national secretary of the party “to issue notices of meetings of the national convention, national executive council, the national working committee in consultation with and approval of the National Chairman.
“Accordingly, the national convention of the party was called by the leadership of the party on March 27, 2024, where the leaders of the party emerged. The report of the national convention is already with INEC and that leadership is recognised by INEC.
“The gathering of people in Umuahia is clearly not in line with the constitution, and therefore, the celebration by some persons that the leadership of Julius Abure has been sacked is only trying to be mischievous and misleading; the Supreme Court didn’t say so,” he added.
He appealed to all members of the Labour Party to abide by the judgement of the apex court, always resort to internal party mechanisms in resolving party affairs and not to always rush to the court.
No room for caretaker panel – Legal Adviser
The LP National Legal Adviser, Kehinde Edun, said the judgment was deliberately twisted to suit the narrative of the party’s detractors.
Edun explained that what the court reeled out was that in political party administration, an official elected for a term in office could either choose to bow out or seek re-election if that term expired.
“It never mentioned that Abure’s tenure has expired. It only talked about the constitution of a political party, prescribing the tenure of office of an elected officer. That’s in the context of what is happening in Labour Party today. Yes, the tenure ended in 2019, extended for one year in 2023, and elapsed in 2024.
“But before that time, a new National Convention held and a new National Executive Committee of council was elected. Some old officers were re-elected while some new ones came in. So, it is not true that the court said the tenure of Abure has expired.
“Look at that document if you have it. It only gave general advice to all political parties that officers are elected for a term in office. Once that term expires, the person either bows out or seeks re-election. The Supreme Court, by their statement today, said everybody should respect party supremacy and whatever decision it takes.
“The Supreme Court also said today that the Constitution should be the document that should guide any political party in its operations and no caretaker committee was mentioned in the Constitution. How will they come in? There is no way for them. So, the issue of caretaker committee is nowhere. And that is the truth,” he noted.
No vacancy in LP until 2028 – Deputy National Chair
Similarly, the Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party, Ayo Olorunfemi, mocked Abure’s critics, saying those seeking the downfall of his leadership were ‘outsiders’ pretending to be members of the party.
According to him, the Labour Party’s constitution does not recognise the setting up of caretaker committees for party affairs.
Olorunfemi also vowed that Abure wouldn’t step down until he finished his tenure in 2028.
“The people that are running about and spreading the false report that Abure was sacked; they should tell you where they belong in all of this. In their ward, they are not even known because they are not members. They came to support somebody that we accepted into the party and they are being used by God knows who to scatter the process people are looking forward to for a new Nigeria.
“That is exactly the script they are playing. But importantly, they have failed. The NEC of this party makes decisions for the ratification of national convention, and that is what the Supreme Court today has asked us to continue to do. When the NEC of this party speaks, the only body that can query that decision is the national convention.”
NLC, caretaker committee hail judgment
Meanwhile, the Acting National Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, has hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“We always know a day like this will come. We have done everything to give Abure a soft landing for him to leave the party leadership quietly in vain.
“But with this judgement, he has no choice than to leave,” he said.
On how the NLC will handle the affairs of the party when Abure steps down, Ndubuaku said some members who were permanent members on the board of the LP would set up a caretaker panel.
According to him, it is the new committee that will be given a mandate of 60 to 90 days to conduct a national convention to democratically elect new members.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party National Caretaker Committee set up by former presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, and Governor Alex Otti, has described the Supreme Court’s judgement as a victory for the rule of law.
Reacting, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Nenadi Usman, described it as a “significant milestone” for Nigeria’s democracy and emphasised the need for unity within the party.
She said, “It is important to emphasise that this is not a time for triumphalism—there is no victor and no vanquished.
“What matters most is our shared commitment to the ideals and aspirations of the Labour Party and the Nigerian people. We must now come together, united in purpose and vision, to move the party forward.
“The Labour Party remains one indivisible family, steadfast in its mission to create a New Nigeria founded on justice, equity, and people-centred governance.”
The senator also urged party members and supporters to remain committed to the democratic values that define the LP as it navigates this transition.
