Court of Appeal Affirms Nenadi Usman as Labour Party Chairman, Fines Abure ₦10m

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed Julius Abure’s challenge to the Labour Party leadership, affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate national chairman.

A three-member panel delivered the unanimous judgment on Tuesday, upholding the earlier Federal High Court decision that recognized Usman’s leadership.

The court fined Abure ₦10 million for abuse of process, calling his appeal an attempt to relitigate matters the Supreme Court had already settled.

What the Court Said

Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, writing the lead judgment alongside Justices A.B. Mohammed and Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, said the Supreme Court had conclusively resolved the Labour Party leadership dispute on April 4, 2025, when it nullified the convention that produced Abure as chairman and directed INEC to recognize the Usman-led Caretaker Committee.

The justices criticized Abure for forum shopping — he had approached a Nasarawa State High Court on a matter already decided by the apex court.

Abure Vows to Appeal

Abure rejected the ruling, saying it contradicts known legal principles, and announced plans to challenge it at the Supreme Court.

“We have seen what transpired today at the Appeal Court and we want to say very clearly that the judgment is not acceptable,” Abure told reporters.

Usman called the ruling a victory for democracy and the rule of law, thanking party members for their patience and urging stakeholders to focus on forthcoming congresses.

Sources: Premium Times, BusinessDay, The Nigeria Lawyer