Court of Appeal Affirms Julius Abure as Labour Party National Chairman

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, reiterating that its earlier judgment recognizing his leadership remains valid.

In a judgment delivered on Friday by Justice Hamma Barka, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that its decision of November 13, 2024, affirming Abure as the party’s chairman, has not been overturned by any court.

The ruling was made while delivering judgments in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Leadership Issue Not Justiciable
Justice Barka emphasized that the appellate court did not address the Labour Party’s leadership dispute because such matters are not justiciable.

The court ruled that the Federal High Court’s October 8, 2024, judgment by Justice Emeka Nwite, which attempted to challenge Abure’s leadership, was null and void due to lack of jurisdiction.

“Anything done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity,” Justice Barka declared, adding, “The judgment of the Federal High Court is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction.”

Previous Judgment Upheld
The appellate court struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction, relying on its earlier judgment of November 13, 2024, which unequivocally held that “Abure remains National Chairman of the Labour Party.”

Justice Barka concluded, “We cannot say this appeal fails or succeeds because the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit in the first place.”

The ruling reinforces Abure’s leadership and provides clarity amid the ongoing disputes within the Labour Party.