***Reinforces rule of law
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the party’s lawful leadership.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Justice Peter Lifu held that Abure’s tenure had expired and that the Caretaker Committee headed by Senator Usman remains the only legitimate authority to represent the party pending the conduct of a national convention.
The court relied on the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, which affirmed Senator Usman’s leadership role, describing the establishment of the caretaker committee as a necessary outcome of that ruling.
Justice Lifu consequently directed INEC to immediately accord recognition to the Nenadi Usman-led committee, rejecting arguments that the matter was a non-justiciable internal affair of a political party.
The judge ruled that the leadership dispute fell within the court’s jurisdiction, particularly as it involved the implementation of a Supreme Court decision and the role of INEC as a statutory regulatory body.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Senator Usman against INEC, challenging the electoral body’s continued recognition of Abure despite the expiration of his tenure and resolutions reached by the party’s leadership organs.
The crisis within the Labour Party escalated after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to remove Abure as chairman amid internal disputes and leadership disagreements.
To fill the leadership vacuum, the NEC constituted a 29-member Caretaker Committee chaired by Senator Usman.
The decision was reached at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, and hosted by Governor Alex Otti.
The meeting, which formally removed Abure, was chaired by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, who had previously been regarded as a close ally of the former chairman.
Abure, however, challenged his removal in court, seeking judicial validation of his continued stay in office.
Wednesday’s ruling effectively settled the leadership tussle, reaffirming the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the recognised leadership of the Labour Party until a national convention is held.
