In a fresh twist to the ongoing leadership crisis within Nigeria’s Labour Party (LP), the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) has been accused of attempting to reverse a Supreme Court ruling that confirmed the Julius Abure-led faction as the rightful leadership. The Julius Abure faction, through its National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh, condemned the actions of the Usman group, which allegedly sought court orders in a desperate attempt to undermine the leadership.
Ifoh revealed that the Usman-led faction, backed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, had used a proxy, Sule Garba, to forcefully approach the High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, to remove Abure from office. Ifoh expressed shock at the group’s persistent attempts to create more conflict within the party, accusing them of seeking court orders from various locations to challenge the legitimacy of the current leadership. Despite their efforts, the Zamfara court refused to grant their request to restrain Abure and other party officials from claiming authority over the party.
The leadership dispute follows a Supreme Court ruling on April 4, 2025, which stated that political party leadership matters are internal issues not subject to judicial interference and that the court has no jurisdiction to decide on party leadership disputes.
In a dramatic move, Garba had filed a motion in the Federal High Court in Gusau, requesting an ex parte order to prevent Abure and National Secretary Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim from representing the party’s official leadership. However, on May 15, 2025, the presiding judge, Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, rejected the request, citing the necessity for all parties to be notified before further actions could be taken. The court scheduled a hearing for June 4, 2025, to continue proceedings.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, the Abure faction remains steadfast in its commitment to the Supreme Court’s decision. It has appealed to its members to accept the ruling and focus on moving the party forward. The Nenadi-led NCC has yet to respond to the allegations of judicial manipulation.
