Abure rejects appeal court verdict affirming Nenadi Usman as LP chair

The Labour Party is embroiled in a significant leadership crisis following a Court of Appeal ruling that has been met with outright rejection by Julius Abure, the factional National Chairman. Abure has declared the judgment, which affirmed Nenadi Usman's leadership, as "unacceptable" and has vowed to pursue the matter to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. This legal battle highlights the deep divisions within the party and the contentious nature of its internal governance.

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We have seen what transpired today at the Appeal Court and we want to say very clearly that the judgment is not acceptable to all of us in the Labour Party led by my humble self.

Abure's stance is rooted in his belief that the court's decision infringes upon the autonomy of political parties. He argues that leadership disputes are fundamentally internal affairs, beyond the purview of judicial interference, and that the court failed to consider the party's convention in Nnewi on March 27, 2024, which he claims produced a valid leadership. He vehemently disagrees with the notion that his executive's tenure has expired, labeling such claims as "untrue and very unacceptable."

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I want to say very clearly that the judgment is against all known principles of law. The courts, the Supreme Court and all courts in Nigeria have stated very clearly that the issues of leadership of a political party is an internal affair of a political party.

However, the Court of Appeal panel unanimously dismissed Abure's appeal, deeming it "unconvincing and lacking legal foundation." This ruling upholds a prior judgment by the Federal High Court, which had already recognized Usman's leadership. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also formally recognized the Usman-led National Caretaker Committee two months prior. This series of legal and electoral commission decisions represents a substantial setback for Abure's faction, signaling a potential shift in the party's power dynamics.

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It is also not true and I disagree when people say that the tenure of this executive has expired. That is untrue and very unacceptable to us.