Supreme Court sacks Abure as Labour Party chairman

The Supreme Court has ruled against Julius Abure, settling the Labour Party leadership dispute by declaring his tenure as National Chairman invalid

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Supreme Court of Nigeria has delivered a significant blow to Barrister Julius Abure, removing him from his position as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

Also read: Court of appeal confirms Julius Abure as Labour Party chairman

In a unanimous judgement delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court overturned the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had previously recognised Abure as the party’s legitimate leader.

The Supreme Court determined that the Court of Appeal had overstepped its jurisdiction by making such a declaration.

The core issue of the case, as the court highlighted, revolved around the internal leadership of the Labour Party, a matter deemed outside the purview of judicial intervention.

The court firmly asserted that issues concerning party leadership are strictly internal affairs and therefore not subject to judicial oversight.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal filed by Senator Esther Usman and another, finding it to be meritorious.

The court also noted that, based on the evidence and submissions presented, Julius Abure’s tenure as National Chairman had already expired.

In light of these findings, the Supreme Court dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the Labour Party, effectively solidifying the decision to remove him from his position.