The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s judgment that recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), ruling that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to make such a pronouncement.
In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel of the apex court stated that leadership disputes within political parties are internal matters that fall outside the jurisdiction of the courts. The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other, deeming it meritorious, while dismissing the cross-appeal filed by Abure’s group as unmeritorious.
The judgment marks a significant shift from the Court of Appeal’s decision in January 2025, where a three-member panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka, had upheld Abure’s position as the Labour Party’s national chairman. The appellate court had emphasized that its judgment from November 13, 2024, recognizing Abure’s leadership, stood as no higher court had set it aside.
Justice Barka, while delivering the judgment, noted that the Court of Appeal had refrained from addressing the substance of the leadership issue, asserting that such matters were not justiciable. The ruling also declared the Federal High Court’s earlier decision on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite, null and void, due to lack of jurisdiction.
This latest decision from the Supreme Court has dealt a significant blow to Abure’s claim as the national chairman of the Labour Party, reinforcing the legal boundaries regarding internal party disputes and judicial jurisdiction.
