The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has declared Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
Justice Peter Lifu, consequently, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to forthwith, recognize the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as “the only valid authority to represent the Labour Party,” pending when the party convenes a national convention.
Justice Lifu, relied on the April 4, 2025, judgment of the Supreme Court to declare the former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, as the valid leader of the party.
The judgement followed a suit marked: THC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, which the former minister lodged before the court.
Listed as defendants in the suit were Julius Abure, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In his judgment, Justice Lifu held that evidence before him established that Abure’s tenure as the national chairman of the LP had since elapsed.
While dismissing Abure’s contention that the matter was an internal affair of a political party that is non-justiceable, the court held that the setting up of the LP Caretaker Committee was “a necessity” that arose from the order of the Supreme Court.
Following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.
To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with the former Finance Minister, Usman as Chairman.
