The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and affirmed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the valid leader of the party, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize her-led caretaker committee as the only legitimate authority pending a national convention.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the landmark judgment on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, filed by Senator Nenadi Usman (a former Minister of Finance) against Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), INEC, and others. The ruling relied heavily on the Supreme Court's April 4, 2025, decision in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party), which had declared Abure's tenure expired and nullified earlier lower court affirmations of his leadership.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that evidence established Abure's tenure as national chairman had elapsed, making the establishment of the caretaker committee a "necessity" arising from the apex court's order. He dismissed Abure's argument that the matter was a non-justiciable internal party affair, emphasizing that the Supreme Court's pronouncement necessitated judicial intervention to uphold the rule of law and prevent a leadership vacuum.
The court directed INEC to "forthwith" recognize the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as "the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party" until the party convenes a national convention to elect new officers. This effectively ends Abure's claim to the chairmanship and aligns with the Supreme Court's earlier stance that political parties must adhere to their constitutions and that expired tenures should be vacated.
The leadership crisis traces back to 2024, when factional disputes erupted within the LP following its strong performance in the 2023 general elections, particularly Peter Obi's presidential run. The National Executive Committee (NEC), amid allegations of anti-party activities and tenure issues, resolved to remove Abure. An expanded stakeholders' meeting hosted in Umuahia by Abia State Governor Alex Otti—chaired by Peter Obi—constituted a 29-member caretaker committee with Usman as chair to fill the vacuum.
Abure contested this, securing favorable rulings from the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, which ordered INEC to recognize him. However, the Supreme Court overturned those decisions on April 4, 2025, in a unanimous ruling led by Justice Inyang Okoro (read by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris). The apex court held that courts lack jurisdiction over purely internal party matters but allowed the appeal by Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha (caretaker secretary), dismissing Abure's cross-appeal. It enjoined parties to follow their rules and urged officials with expired tenures to step aside gracefully.
Post-Supreme Court, Abure continued parading himself as chairman, conducting activities including primaries for Edo and Ondo governorship elections (though the LP lost both). INEC withheld recognition, citing the subsisting apex court judgment. Usman's faction accused Abure of impersonation and demanded prosecution.
The January 21, 2026, judgment resolves the stalemate in favor of the Usman/Otti-aligned group. Reacting swiftly, LP spokesperson for the Abure faction, Obiora Ifoh, rejected the ruling as a "misinterpretation" of the Supreme Court verdict and an intrusion into party affairs. He vowed an immediate appeal to the Court of Appeal, claiming the decision contradicted the apex court's position that courts cannot appoint party leaders and that leadership issues are internal.
The Usman-led faction hailed the ruling as a victory for rule of law. A statement from their side described it as affirming the caretaker committee's legitimacy and urged INEC compliance. Supporters linked to Governor Otti and Peter Obi see it as clearing the path for party reorganization ahead of future elections, including potential 2027 polls.
This development compounds woes for the LP, already excluded from the February 21, 2026, FCT Area Council elections due to the unresolved crisis (as ruled in a separate suit by the same Justice Lifu on the same day). The party's factional battles have led to forum-shopping across courts, including Nasarawa State High Court and various Federal High Court divisions.
Political analysts view the ruling as reinforcing judicial oversight in party governance when constitutional compliance is at stake, while warning that prolonged litigation could weaken the LP's electoral prospects. The party, which surged in 2023 on a wave of youth and labor support, faces risks of further fragmentation if the appeal process drags on.
INEC has yet to issue a formal response but is expected to align with the court's directive, consistent with its policy of recognizing judicially affirmed leadership. The commission previously withheld LP access codes for candidate uploads in various elections due to the disputes.
As Nigeria's opposition landscape evolves, the LP's internal resolution—or lack thereof—could impact its role in challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in upcoming cycles. For now, the Federal High Court's affirmation of Nenadi Usman shifts control to the caretaker committee, potentially paving the way for reconciliation efforts or a fresh national convention.
The judgment underscores recurring themes in Nigerian politics: tenure disputes, factionalism, and the judiciary's role in enforcing party constitutions amid high-stakes power struggles.
