Supreme Court Did Not Sack Abure As National Chairman, LP Insists

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee, NEC, on Saturday, August 16, expressed deep surprise at the claims in a section of the Media suggesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has withdrawn its recognition.

This is as the faction  rejected claims that it was sacked by the April 4 ,2025 Supreme court ruling on the party’s leadership crisis .

The Source reports that the Senator Nenadi Esther Usman-led Interim National Working Committee had, on Friday August 15, 2025, lauded INEC for finally doing the needful by recognizing it as authentic National leadership of the LP.

In the same vein ,the only Governor elected on the platform of the party, Dr  Alex Otti of Abia State, had also applauded the Electoral Umpire over its decision to implement the verdict of the Apex Court in the country.

According to the Abia State Governor,  going by the facts of the Supreme court judgment, it had never been in doubt that Abure was no longer the National Chairman of the LP .

The Source further reports that  an Abuja High Court had also, Friday August 15, dismissed an application brought before it by the Abure-led NEC , seeking among other things, an order compelling the INEC to recognize the candidates nominated by it for the August 16 by-election .

However, the court in dismissing the suit, held that going by the Supreme court ruling, that Abure’s tenure had long expired before the controversial Nnewi Convention that purportedly returned him to office as National Chairman.

But, in statement on Saturday, August 16, issued by factional spokesperson, Obiorah Ifoh, the Abure-led NEC berated Senator Usman for misleading the public on the true position of the leadership of the party.

According to Ifoh , a Federal High Court in, Nasarawa State, had granted an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from recognizing any other LP National Leadership , outside of the Abure-led NEC.

This is just ,it insisted that the Abuja High Court rulings have been twisted by Senator Usman and her supporters to suit their predetermined purposes.

The faction noted that the INEC as a body established by law, is bound to respect the Nasarawa High Court order as it relates to the Abure leadership.

“The leadership of the Labour Party, LP, the government is surprised at the reports in some sections of the media where one Senator Nenadi Usman ,and her quislings are busy misinforming members of the public ,and jubilating that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has withdrawn recognition from Barrister Julius Abure, hinging their media propaganda on the Federal High Court’s decision of  August 15 ,2025 .

“For the records ,two cases concerning Labour Party were decided and dismissed yesterday by the same court . One by Nenadi Usman through one Chris Omofuma ,her purported candidate in the Edo bye-election ,and of course ,the one filed by Labour Party through Barrister Julius Abure .

“INEC was the respondent in all the matters . While INEC, for obvious reasons, refused to put up any counter against Nenadi’s camp ,it however ,deposed to counter affidavit in opposition to Abure’s suit on the premise that it neither monitored nor recognized the March 27 ,2024 Convention in Nnewi ,and that Abure’s tenure , along.with that of the National Executive Committee , according to their illusions , expired in June ,2024 .

“The court wasted no time in dismissing the suit by Nenadi Usman through Chris Omofume on the ground that both Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha were not National Chairman and National Secretary respectively ,of the party ,and therefore are not competent to nominate candidate for the by-elections.

“The court also while dismissing the suit by Abure and Labour Party held that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter , noting that the Supreme court had in its April 4,2025 decision on Appeal No SC/CV/56/2025 ,ruled on the supremacy of the party ,and its ability to resolve its internal affairs using the party’s internal mechanism

” In any event ,the Supreme court never said that Abure was not the National Chairman of the Labour Party ,nor made pronouncement on the Convention .

It only said that issues of leadership is an internal affairs of the party . It is also clear that the Abure-led leadership is the party here ,and that is what the apex court referred to .

” Disappointed by the judgment of the court Nenadi Usman and her power mongering renegades went to town publishing INEC’s counter affidavit which the court never relied on.

For us , their celebration.was laughable and a smokescreen meant to mislead members of the public  They know that they have nothing to really celebrate .

” They forgot so soon that INEC’s so-called counter affidavit has been tested in various courts ,up to the Supreme court and has not been accepted .

The INEC’s counter affidavit is clearly what the Commission has been portraying all through in the courts since the beginning of their unlawful exclusion.of our leadership..

” They tendered it before Justice Omotosho ,and it was rejected . INEC also said so in Justice Nwite’s court ,and the Judge ruled against them .They said so at the court of Appeal ,the court also ruled against them  . Even the Supreme court ruled against them .All those issues in the counter affidavit have raised before ,and have been resolved against INEC” the LP statement reads in part..

The LP faction therefore described as infantile the resort by Senator Usman to be circulating same counter affidavit that has been several rejected by several courts of competent jurisdiction.

They reemphasized the need for INEC  to respect a lawful court order as issued by the Nasarawa High Court , regarding the legitimacy of the Abure leadership.