The Labour Party’s leadership has welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, stating that it supports their long-held view that political parties’ internal matters are beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
While acknowledging that the Supreme Court did overturn a previous Court of Appeal decision recognizing Julius Abure as their National Chairman, the Labour Party contends that media reports have largely misrepresented the ruling. According to the party, Julius Abure remains their legitimate national chairman.
The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, clarified in a statement released in Abuja that the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision by a five-member panel to set aside the Court of Appeal’s recognition of Abure was based on the principle that party leadership issues are internal affairs that the judiciary should not interfere with.
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Ifoh further pointed out that the Supreme Court also noted that Abure’s tenure had already ended, which contributed to their dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction.
Despite these points, the Labour Party’s spokesperson firmly asserted that the Supreme Court’s judgment did not constitute a removal of Abure from his position as National Chairman.
He said, “The supreme court judgment didn’t sack Labour Party national chairman, Julius Abure. Rather it rightly upheld the preceding and accumulated high courts and appeal court judgments upholding the immutability of responsibility of Labour Party structures to choose its leaders.
“The judgement did not also set aside the Appeal Court judgement in Labour Party vs Ebiseni and 2 others (CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024) delivered on 13 November 2024, which affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. The judgement is still valid and subsisting and has not been appealed.
“The implication is very clear. Abure remains the Labour Party national chairman. The question is: who are the leaders of the party? The party constitution is clear as to who are the leaders of the party. The leadership of the party has been the National Working Committee led by Barrister Julius Abure.”
The Labour Party’s spokesperson further emphasized that their own internal rules clearly define who is authorized to convene national conventions or any national-level meetings.
He based this argument on Article 14 of their amended 2024 constitution, which grants the National Secretary the authority to issue meeting notices for the national convention, the national executive council, and the national working committee, but only after consulting with and receiving approval from the National Chairman.
“Accordingly, the National convention of the party was called by the leadership of the party on the 27 of March 2024 where the leaders of the party emerged. The report of the National Convention is already with INEC and that leadership is recognized by INEC.
“The gathering of people in Umuahia is clearly not in line with the constitution, and therefore, the celebration by some persons that the leadership of Julius Abure has been sacked were only trying to be mischievous and misleading and that the Supreme Court didn’t say so.
Therefore, the Labour Party urges all its loyal members to respect the Supreme Court’s decision and to always utilize the party’s internal procedures for resolving any issues, rather than immediately seeking legal intervention.
The Supreme Court’s stance affirms that the party’s own established structures are equipped to handle its internal affairs, and as things stand, Barrister Julius Abure remains the National Chairman.
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