Court pronounces Nenadi Usman as LP national chairman, sacks Abure, gives fresh order to INEC

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, affirmed the Sen. Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee of the Labour Party (LP), as the lawfully recognised National Chairman of the Party.

The Court presided over by Justice Peter Lifu in his judgement in a suit filed by Nenadi Usman against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), relied on the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on April 4, 2025 which declared her the valid leader of the party.

Justice Lifu ordered INEC to give recognition to the Nenadi-led Caretaker Committee as the valid leadership of the Labour Party, pending when a National convention will be held.

Accordingly, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to forthwith recognise the Sen. Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party, pending when the party convenes a national convention.

Justice Lifu held that evidence before him established that Abure’s tenure as the national chairman of the Labour Party has since elapsed.

While dismissing Abure’s contention that the matter was an internal affair of a political party, which is non-justiciable, the Court held that the setting up of the LP Caretaker Committee was “a necessity” that arose from the Supreme Court’s order.

Following a leadership crisis that enveloped the Labour Party, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.

As a means of filling the leadership vacuum, the NEC of the party constituted a 29-member Caretaker Committee with Sen. Nenadi Usman as Chairman.

The decision was the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of Labour Party that was hosted in Umuahia by Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State.

The meeting at which Abure was sacked from office was chaired by his former ally and the party’s 2023 presidential election candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

But, dissatisfied with the decision, Abure approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to validate his position as the National Chairman of the party, which he now lost.