The Julius Abure–led leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has announced plans to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which recognised the Caretaker Committee chaired by former Minister of Finance, Esther Nenadi Usman.
Justice Peter Lifu, in his ruling, held that the Caretaker Committee led by Usman should be recognised, a decision the Labour Party described as a misinterpretation of the April 4, 2025 judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The party argued that Usman is not a registered member of the Labour Party and that her recognition as Caretaker Chairman is alien to the party’s constitution
In a statement issued in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said the judgment clearly contradicted the Supreme Court’s position, which held that no court has the power to appoint leaders for a political party, as leadership issues are strictly internal affairs.
The party stated that it was undeterred by the ruling, noting that the Federal High Court is not the final arbiter, and confirmed that it would approach the Court of Appeal to seek redress.
According to Ifoh, the party was yet to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, which would allow it to fully study and respond to the ruling. However, he maintained that based on preliminary information, the party had resolved to appeal.
He alleged that there were troubling developments surrounding the case, including the reassignment of the matter from Justice Inyang Omotosho to Justice Peter Lifu, which he described as a “red flag.” He also claimed that the court denied the party an opportunity to respond to issues raised in a counter affidavit before reserving judgment.
Ifoh further alleged that the party’s opponents had been jubilating on social media weeks before the judgment was delivered, suggesting prior knowledge of the outcome.
The Labour Party spokesperson recalled that the Court of Appeal had earlier recognised the Julius Abure led National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of the party, a decision that Nenadi Usman challenged at the Supreme Court. He described it as ironic that a Federal High Court would now pronounce a caretaker chairman after the Supreme Court had ruled that courts lack jurisdiction over party leadership matters.
He added that the Supreme Court did not declare that the tenure of the current leadership had expired but merely declined jurisdiction on the grounds that it was an internal party affair. He stressed that the party’s national convention was validly held in March 2024, before the expiration of the previous executive’s tenure in June 2024, thereby producing the current leadership.
The party questioned how the court concluded that a leadership vacuum existed without examining the legality of the March 27, 2024 national convention.
The Labour Party urged its members to remain calm, assuring them that the leadership would pursue all legal avenues to protect the interests of the party.
It also warned that the party was not for sale, insisting that no amount of financial influence would compel it to relinquish its leadership position.