Appeal Court dismisses Abure’s case, affirms Usman’s leadership of LP
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by Julius Abure in which he challenged the legitimacy of the Nenadi Usman-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP).
- N10m cost awarded against ex-chair
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by Julius Abure in which he challenged the legitimacy of the Nenadi Usman-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP).
In a judgment delivered yesterday, a three-member panel of the appellate court unanimously affirmed the January 21 judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which upheld the legitimacy of the 29-member caretaker committee of the LP, led by Senator Usman.
Justice Lifu had, in the January 21 judgment, relied on an April 4, 2025, decision of the Supreme Court, which held that Abure’s tenure as the party’s National Chairman had expired.
The court thus directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Senator Usman and other members of her committee as the legitimate leaders of the party to the exclusion of all others.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, which Justices Abba Mohammed and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike agreed with, the appellate court held that the earlier judgment of the Supreme Court conclusively settled the leadership dispute within the LP when it nullified the convention that purportedly returned Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
The court further held that the lower court had the powers under Section 251 of the Constitution to compel a statutory Federal Government agency to perform its functions when it ordered INEC to recognise Senator Usman as the National Chairman of the LP.
It also agreed with the trial court that the constitution of the LP’s caretaker committee, headed by Usman, was a doctrine of necessity needed to provide leadership in the party when there appeared to be a vacuum.
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The court faulted Abure’s claim that he was denied a fair hearing by the trial court and accused him of engaging in the abuse of the court process.
The court also accused Abure of engaging in forum shopping by going before a Nasarawa State High Court over a case that had been decided by the Supreme Court, and for persisting in laying claim to the leadership of the party, despite the unambiguous pronouncement of the apex court.
It held that the appeal was devoid of merit and constituted an abuse of court process.
“On the whole, I agree with the decision and conclusion of the trial court as same, being in accordance with the Constitution,” Justice Oyewumi held.
The judge averred that the lower court had arrived at a reasonable conclusion which cannot be faulted by the Court of Appeal.
Dismissing the appeal, the court awarded a N10 million cost against Abure for wasting the time of the court on an issue that had already been determined.
The court held that Usman, as a juristic person, has the right to file the case before the trial court.
It added that the trial court had the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case.
The court also rejected Abure’s allegation that he was denied a fair hearing by the lower court, saying there was no basis for the claim that he was not allowed a fair hearing in the matter.
