The Court of Appeal in Abuja has unanimously dismissed the appeal filed by Barrister Julius Abure challenging the leadership of the Labour Party (LP).
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday by a three-member panel, the appellate court upheld the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s ruling removing Abure as National Chairman and directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Senator Nenadi Esther Usman as the legitimate National Chairman of the party.
Delivering the lead judgment, Hon. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, with Justices A. B. Mohammed and Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike concurring, held that the Supreme Court had conclusively settled the leadership crisis on April 4, 2025, when it nullified the convention that purportedly returned Abure as National Chairman.
The Court of Appeal agreed with the lower court that the Federal High Court had the constitutional powers under Section 251 to compel INEC, a federal agency, to perform its statutory duties by recognising Senator Usman as the authentic leader of the Labour Party to the exclusion of all others.
The justices also endorsed the constitution of the Caretaker Committee led by Senator Usman as a necessary step to fill the leadership vacuum in the party.
The appellate court strongly criticised Barr. Abure for abuse of court process and forum shopping, noting that he approached a Nasarawa State High Court on a matter already decided by the Supreme Court.
The court described his persistent claim to the party leadership despite the apex court’s clear pronouncement as an abuse of judicial process.
Consequently, the Court of Appeal dismissed Abure’s appeal in suit No. CA/ABJ/CV/255/2026 for lack of merit and ordered him to pay ₦10 million in costs for wasting the court’s time on a settled issue.
The ruling further solidifies Senator Nenadi Usman’s position as the recognised National Chairman of the Labour Party.
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