The Labour Party has hailed Friday’s Supreme Court judgement as a major victory for democracy and the rule of law, insisting that Barrister Julius Abure remains the party’s authentic National Chairman.
In a statement issued in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh stated that the apex court affirmed the autonomy of political parties in determining their leadership, stressing that the judiciary has no jurisdiction over internal party affairs.
“The Supreme Court, on April 4, 2025, struck out appeals challenging the party’s leadership. It ruled that the matter is strictly internal and outside the court’s jurisdiction,” Ifoh noted.
He clarified that the judgement did not overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision in Labour Party vs. Ebiseni & Others (CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024), which had affirmed Abure as the National Chairman. “That judgement remains valid and unchallenged,” he added.
Ifoh emphasized that the Labour Party’s constitution grants the power to call a national convention exclusively to the National Secretary, in consultation with the National Chairman. He pointed to the March 27, 2024 National Convention—whose report has been submitted to INEC—as the legitimate platform through which party leaders emerged.
Dismissing reports of Abure’s sack, Ifoh described a parallel gathering in Umuahia as unconstitutional and misleading. “The celebration by some factions is mischievous. The Supreme Court did not sack Abure,” he asserted.
He urged party members to respect internal mechanisms for resolving disputes, adding, “It is only political parties that have the power to choose their leaders—not the courts.”
However, in a contrasting interpretation of the ruling, the Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (LPNCC) sees the verdict as bringing Abure’s tenure to a close. Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Secretary of the NCC, described the judgment as a win for democracy and a signal of new beginnings for the party.
“This ruling is a monumental victory—not just for the Labour Party, but for Nigeria’s democracy. It shows that the Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man,” Nwokocha said.
He praised the decision as a step towards party unity and democratic reform, adding that the judiciary’s stand reinforces the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“The judgement paves the way for a broad-based, acceptable leadership to emerge. This is an opportunity to rebuild the party and the nation,” he said.
Calling on Nigerians across political divides, the NCC urged unity in the quest to restore justice and equity in the country’s democratic process.
As it stands, the Supreme Court judgement has intensified the leadership tussle within the Labour Party. While the Abure-led National Working Committee insists that the ruling reaffirms his chairmanship, the NCC views it as a turning point for leadership transition.
With both factions claiming legitimacy, the Labour Party now faces a critical moment in its internal politics—and potentially, its future direction on the national stage.
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