By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi 

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed an appeal filed by Julius Abure challenging the legitimacy of the leadership of the Labour Party (LP), under Nenadi Usman.

In a unanimous judgement delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court upheld the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which recognised the 29-member caretaker committee of the party led by Usman as its lawful leadership.

The lead judgement, read by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi and concurred in by Justices Abba Mohammed and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, affirmed the January 21 decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court.

Justice Lifu had, in that ruling, upheld the legality of the caretaker committee, relying on an earlier decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on April 4, 2025, which held that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman of the party had expired.

Reinforcing that position, the appellate court held that the Supreme Court had conclusively settled the leadership dispute within the party when it nullified the convention that purportedly returned Abure as chairman.

The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Usman and members of her committee as the legitimate leaders of the party, to the exclusion of all other claimants.

In its reasoning, the appellate court held that the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction under Section 251 of the Constitution to compel a federal agency to perform its statutory duties, including its directive to INEC to recognise the Usman-led leadership.

It also endorsed the trial court’s position that the formation of the caretaker committee was justified under the doctrine of necessity to fill a leadership vacuum within the party.

The court dismissed Abure’s claims of denial of fair hearing, describing his appeal as lacking merit and constituting an abuse of court process.

It further accused him of forum shopping by instituting a parallel suit before a Nasarawa State High Court on a matter already determined by the Supreme Court, and for persisting in laying claim to the party’s leadership despite clear judicial pronouncements.

“The appeal is devoid of merit and constitutes an abuse of court process,” Justice Oyewumi held, adding that the lower court’s decision was consistent with constitutional provisions and could not be faulted.

The appellate court consequently dismissed the appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/255/2026, and awarded a cost of N10 million against Abure.

The court also affirmed that Usman, as a juristic person, had the legal standing to institute the suit at the trial court, which it said properly assumed jurisdiction to hear and determine the case.