With this ruling, Abure’s tenure as chairman comes to an official end.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), overturning a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

In a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of Justices ruled that the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to recognise Abure’s chairmanship.

The Justices maintained that issues of party leadership are internal matters that fall outside the purview of the courts.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun stated, “The leadership of a political party is a matter that should be resolved within the party and not in the courts.”

Kekere-Ekun also noted that Abure’s tenure had already lapsed, further invalidating his claim to the position.

The Supreme Court upheld an appeal filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and another party member, ruling that it had merit and setting aside the decision of the lower court while the cross-appeal by Abure’s camp was dismissed for lack of merit.

Reacting to the verdict, Barrister Tony Iwegbu, representing Usman’s faction, hailed the judgment as a victory for justice and the rule of law, urging Labour Party members to respect the court’s decision.

On the other hand, Abure’s lawyer, Emmanuel Akpata, expressed disappointment, stating that the legal team would consider further legal steps to challenge the outcome.

The Labour Party, in a statement, announced plans to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the leadership transition.

“Our priority is to maintain stability within the party and move forward in unity,” the party’s spokesperson said.

Also, a Political analyst, Oluyemi Bayewu who spoke with Newsworld said the ruling could impact the party’s strategy ahead of upcoming elections.

Some members of the Labour Party have already called for the immediate appointment of a new chairman to ensure continuity.

The judgment marks the conclusion of prolonged legal battles over the party’s leadership and reaffirms the judiciary’s position on staying out of internal party affairs.

Party stakeholders are now expected to comply with the ruling and determine the next steps for the LP’s leadership.