The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by Julius Abure challenging the leadership of the Labour Party, but the embattled former chairman has vowed to take the fight to the Supreme Court.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Monday by a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, with Justices A. B. Mohammed and Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike concurring, the appellate court affirmed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court that removed Abure as National Chairman.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had on January 21, 2026 reaffirmed an earlier Supreme Court judgment that nullified the convention that purportedly returned Abure as National Chairman on April 4, 2025. The lower court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate leader of the party.
The Court of Appeal held that the Supreme Court had conclusively settled the leadership dispute when it nullified Abure’s convention. The justices strongly criticised Abure for abuse of court process and for engaging in forum shopping at a Nasarawa State High Court on a matter already decided by the apex court.
The court described Abure’s appeal as “devoid of merit” and imposed a cost of N10 million against him for wasting judicial time. But Abure has rejected the ruling. Speaking after the judgment, he described the decision as “unacceptable” and “against all known principles of law.” He insisted that the party’s national convention held on March 27, 2024 in Nnewi remains valid and subsisting for a four-year tenure.
“We have put our legal team together and we are going to file an appeal and move to the Supreme Court,” Abure said.
While the legal battle continues, the Usman-led caretaker committee is pressing ahead with preparations for the 2027 elections. INEC has formally recognised the Usman-led leadership, and she has been attending the commission’s quarterly consultative meetings with political party leaders.
The party has fixed May 23, 2026 for its presidential primaries, according to a communique issued after a National Executive Council meeting in Abuja. Governorship and legislative primaries are scheduled for May 15, while the party will hold ward congresses on March 26, local government congresses on March 28, state congresses on March 31, and a national convention on April 11.
