Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly, has declared that the recent Supreme Court ruling effectively ends Julius Abure’s claim to the Labour Party (LP) chairmanship.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, Umeh said the apex court’s verdict on the Labour Party leadership crisis should serve as a final word, urging Abure to respect the judgment and step aside.
“The door has been shut on him (Abure), and the only thing left to him is for him to reflect over the admonishment given to him by the Supreme Court — that officers of a party should be humble enough to leave office when their tenure expires,” Umeh said.
He explained that Abure’s tenure had long expired and that he had failed to honour the terms of a consent judgment by the Federal High Court, which mandated specific actions he ignored.
“From that time till today, Abure has not held any congress anywhere,” the Senator added.
Umeh further advised Abure to accept the olive branch extended by Senator Nenadi Usman’s National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party. According to him, Abure could still rejoin the leadership race — but only by following due process.
“He cannot make himself chairman without going through the process to get him reelected,” Umeh said, pointing out that his advice to Abure was based on years of experience, including his time as chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“I saw the situation coming and advised Abure, but he dismissed it,” he added.
Labour Party Leadership Crisis: Background
The Labour Party has been embroiled in a protracted leadership tussle, pitting Julius Abure and his allies against a faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman. The caretaker committee, backed by LP’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, Governor Alex Otti, and other elected party officials, has been seeking to restructure the party’s leadership.
Last week, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to declare Abure the National Chairman of the party. The apex court emphasized that matters concerning party leadership are internal and beyond judicial determination.
Crucially, the court affirmed that Abure’s tenure had expired and upheld an appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another party stakeholder. The court then dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure-led faction as “unmeritorious.”
What Lies Ahead?
Although Abure’s bid to remain in office has been blocked by the Supreme Court, some stakeholders suggest the door remains open—if he chooses to contest in a legitimate congress. The LP remains at a crossroads, as unity is now dependent on how stakeholders handle the transition process.