The long-running leadership crisis within the Labour Party has taken a decisive turn after the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the appeal filed by Julius Abure.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court affirmed earlier rulings that removed Abure as National Chairman and recognised Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate leader of the party.
The court made it clear that the matter had already been settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which had nullified the convention that produced Abure as chairman.
By returning to court to challenge that outcome, the judges ruled that Abure engaged in an abuse of court process.
The court also backed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise Usman’s leadership — affirming that the judiciary has the authority to compel government agencies to carry out their statutory duties.
In supporting Usman’s position, the court accepted that the party’s caretaker committee was formed out of necessity to fill a leadership vacuum.
The ruling did not stop at dismissal.
The court imposed a ₦10 million cost against Abure, describing the appeal as lacking merit and a waste of judicial time.
For many within the party, the judgment brings a sense of closure to months of uncertainty.
Reacting to the outcome, Nenadi Usman described it as a victory for democracy and the rule of law, thanking party members for standing firm through the crisis.
She urged stakeholders to shift focus toward rebuilding the party and preparing for future elections.
After months of court battles, conflicting claims, and internal divisions, the message from the judiciary is now unmistakable:
The leadership question has been settled — and the party must move forward.