LP Leadership Crisis: Abure Retains Position As Nat’l Chairman

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reaffirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), emphasizing that its previous judgment recognizing him remains valid and unchallenged.

A three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Barka in two separate appeals involving Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, the Labour Party caretaker committee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) delivered the judgement on Friday in Abuja.

The court, in its ruling, referred to its earlier judgment of November 13, 2024, which recognized Julius Abure as the rightful chairman.

Justice Barka highlighted that the appellate court had not addressed the party’s leadership tussle because such issues fall outside the jurisdiction of the court, rendering them non-justiciable.

The court further declared that the Federal High Court’s judgment of October 8, 2024, which had ruled otherwise, was a nullity as it was delivered without jurisdiction.

According to the appellate court, “anything done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity.”

This recent ruling strengthens Julius Abure’s leadership position and dismisses the arguments presented by the opposing faction and the caretaker committee, which sought to challenge his legitimacy.