S’Court overturns Court of Appeal ruling which affirmed Abure as LP national chairman

The Supreme Court has nullified the Court of Appeal’s judgment that recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), marking a significant shift in the ongoing legal battle over the party’s leadership.

In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to declare Abure as the Labour Party’s National Chairman. The panel emphasized that the matter at hand involved the internal leadership of the party, an issue over which the courts have no jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court’s ruling effectively allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another claimant, deeming it meritorious. At the same time, it dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the Labour Party, declaring it without merit.

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This latest ruling follows a judgment in January by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had upheld Abure’s position as the Labour Party Chairman. A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Hamma Barka, reiterated in its ruling that Abure’s status as National Chairman remained valid, as the decision made on November 13, 2024, had not been overturned by any higher court.

In that ruling, the Court of Appeal had clarified that the dispute over the Labour Party’s leadership was outside the scope of judicial intervention, asserting that such matters were not justiciable.

The court also determined that any action taken outside its jurisdiction was null and void, rendering the previous Federal High Court decision delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on October 8, 2024, ineffective.

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