THE RULING by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the Labour Party’s leadership dispute has generated mixed reactions, as different factions within the party interpret its implications.
The court’s decision reaffirmed that political parties have the exclusive right to manage their internal affairs, a stance that has fueled fresh discussions on party governance in Nigeria.
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A significant point of dispute has been the legitimacy of a factional leadership created in Umuahia, Abia State. The gathering, which led to the emergence of a rival faction under Nenadi Usman, has been described as unconstitutional by the party’s leadership.
According to the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues to recognise Julius Abure as the legitimate leader.
“The National Convention of 27 March 2024, which confirmed the party’s leadership, was duly reported to INEC. Any parallel faction lacks legal standing,” Ifoh asserted.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court set aside an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that had upheld Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
The apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction, emphasizing that courts should refrain from interfering in internal party leadership disputes.
“The matter is purely an internal affair of the party, which courts have no business to dabble into,” a Supreme Court spokesperson stated.
The ruling follows a legal challenge by Nenadi Usman, who was appointed as the caretaker committee chairperson last year but had her claims dismissed by the court.
Despite the Supreme Court’s verdict, Labour Party officials insist that Abure remains the legitimate chairman.
“The Supreme Court did not nullify the Court of Appeal judgement of 13 November 2024, which affirmed Abure as the national chairman,” Ifoh stated, adding that misinterpretations of the ruling are misleading.
The Labour Party constitution, he explained, provides clear directives on leadership succession and internal governance.
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“Article 14 of the 2024 amended constitution grants the National Secretary the authority to issue notices for national meetings in consultation with the National Chairman,” Ifoh elaborated.
The ruling has also put to rest claims that the Supreme Court sacked Abure. “The implication is clear: Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party,” Ifoh said, urging party members to dismiss misleading narratives.
With the Supreme Court’s verdict now in place, Labour Party leaders are calling for unity among members and urging them to respect the party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms.
“The Supreme Court has spoken. It is now time to move forward as a united party,” Ifoh declared. “All members must respect the party’s constitution to ensure stability and focus on the broader goal of national development.”
Beyond Labour Party’s internal dispute, the Supreme Court ruling serves as a precedent on the role of the judiciary in political party affairs.
