The Labour Party (LP) has described as welcome development, the Abuja Federal High Court dismissal of the suit instituted by Julius Abure against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a welcome development.
Interim National Chairman Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, in a statement on Friday, said the decision was an affirmation of the rule of law and “judiciary’s steadfast consistency in upholding the binding pronouncements of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
Usman noted that the latest judgement aligns with the earlier decision of the Supreme Court, delivered on 4 April 2025 in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025, which nullified all previous recognitions of Abure’s purported leadership of the Labour Party.
“In its wisdom, and in strict adherence to the Supreme Court’s final pronouncement, the Federal High Court in Abuja rightly struck out the originating suit for want of jurisdiction.
“That decision of the apex court remains binding on all persons and authorities in Nigeria pursuant to Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said.
She commended INEC for the courage and institutional integrity reflected in its counter-affidavit during the pendency of the case.
Usman noted that in the sworn testimony before the court, INEC confirmed that the tenure of Abure and the entire National Executive Committee (NEC) expired in June 2024.
“The commission further affirmed that it neither monitored nor recognised the purported National Convention held in Nnewi on 27 March 2024, having found it to be in flagrant breach of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s own Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022, and the Labour Party Constitution.
“This unequivocal position, rendered under oath by the nation’s electoral umpire before a competent court of law, removes all lingering doubts and reinforces the imperative for every member, officer, and stakeholder of our great party to submit, at all times, to the supremacy of our Constitution and the dictates of the rule of law,” she said.
The interim National Chairman stated that with this judgement, and INEC’s stance, it is time for all members of the Labour Party to put the needless distraction behind them and recommit themselves to the task of rebuilding and repositioning the party into the credible, disciplined, and people-centred political movement that Nigerians deserve.
She assured that under her leadership as interim National Chairman, she remains unwavering in his commitment to ensuring strict compliance with the party’s Constitution, “Entrenching transparent internal democratic processes, and restoring unity, discipline, and shared purpose as we prepare for the political contests ahead.”510152-
