The Supreme Court has overturned the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja that recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
Delivering a unanimous verdict, a five-member panel of the apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to make such a pronouncement, given that the case revolved around the internal leadership of the party.
The court reaffirmed that leadership disputes within a political party fall outside the jurisdiction of the judiciary, as they are considered internal matters.
Additionally, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another appellant, declaring it meritorious. The cross-appeal submitted by Abure’s faction of the Labour Party was dismissed for lacking merit.
The latest ruling contradicts a previous judgment by the Court of Appeal in January, which upheld Abure’s position as the LP chairman. At the time, a three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Barka had ruled that its earlier judgment from November 13, 2024, recognizing Abure, remained valid and had not been set aside.
The appellate court had also emphasized that it did not rule on the leadership dispute, as such matters are considered non-justiciable. However, the Supreme Court has now rendered that decision ineffective, asserting that any ruling made outside jurisdiction is a nullity.
