Supreme Court sacks Julius Abure as LP Chairman

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which earlier recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), declaring the ruling null and void.

Delivering a unanimous verdict on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal overreached its jurisdiction by pronouncing Abure as the national leader of the party.

The Supreme Court emphasized that the central issue in the case revolved around the internal leadership affairs of the Labour Party — matters which, it maintained, fall strictly outside the purview of judicial interference.

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Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who read the lead judgment, asserted that “issues relating to the leadership and internal workings of a political party are domestic matters and not justiciable.”

The court further noted that even if it were to assume jurisdiction, Abure’s tenure had already elapsed, making any such pronouncement by the Court of Appeal not only inappropriate but irrelevant.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal brought by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and one other, declaring the appeal meritorious.

Meanwhile, it dismissed a cross-appeal filed by the Abure-led faction of the Labour Party, branding it unmeritorious and lacking in substance.

The ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing leadership tussle within the Labour Party, signaling the apex court’s firm stance on the autonomy of political parties in managing their internal affairs.