The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has announced its intention to appeal the Federal High Court ruling that recognised the Esther Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the party’s legitimate leadership.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement on Wednesday, National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh said the court’s decision violated a long-standing Supreme Court precedent regarding the internal affairs of political parties in Nigeria.

He emphasised that the Federal High Court is not the final authority and confirmed that the party will challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

Ifoh added that the faction was not surprised by the ruling, noting that the court’s conduct suggested a decision in favour of the Nenadi Usman camp. He called on supporters to remain calm and pledged that the party would exhaust all legal avenues to reclaim its mandate.

“The judgment contradicts the Supreme Court, which clearly stated that no court has the authority to appoint leadership for any political party, as such matters are internal affairs of the party,” he said.

While the faction has not yet received the Certified True Copy of the judgment, Ifoh said the position to appeal would only strengthen once it is reviewed. He highlighted several concerns during the proceedings, including the reassignment of the case from Justice Omotosho to Justice Peter Lifu and the court’s refusal to allow the faction to respond fully to counter-affidavits.

“Our opponents celebrated the ruling weeks in advance on social media, claiming victory for Dr. Alex Otti, even before the judgment was delivered,” he said.

Ifoh also noted the irony in the ruling, pointing out that the Court of Appeal had previously recognised Abure’s National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of the party. “Now, a Federal High Court has reversed this, declaring a caretaker committee as the party’s leadership. This is a clear contradiction of Supreme Court directives,” he said.

He further argued that the court misinterpreted the Supreme Court decision, which never stated that Abure’s tenure had expired. According to Ifoh, the National Convention held in March 2024 had already produced the current leadership, making claims of a leadership vacuum baseless.

Naija News recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, removed Julius Abure as Labour Party National Chairman on Wednesday. The court relied on the April 4, 2025, Supreme Court verdict to declare former Finance Minister Esther Nenadi Usman as the valid leader of the party and directed INEC to recognise her Caretaker Committee as the party’s official authority until a national convention is held.