The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, removed Barrister Julius Abure from his position as National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately recognise the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman‑led national caretaker committee as the party’s legitimate leadership.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that Abure’s tenure had expired and confirmed that the Usman‑led executive is the only lawful authority within the party.
The court underscored that internal leadership disputes must be resolved through party mechanisms rather than the judiciary, in line with the Supreme Court ruling of April 4, 2025, which had previously declared Abure’s tenure lapsed.
The ruling concludes a prolonged leadership crisis that emerged following the Labour Party’s March 2024 national convention, which produced the Abure-led executive.
Previous legal challenges by Abure’s faction had been dismissed, affirming the authority of the Usman caretaker committee.
Justice Lifu also referenced an earlier Federal High Court judgment of August 15, 2025, which dismissed Abure’s suit against INEC and reiterated that his tenure had expired in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Finance and ex‑senator, heads the recognised caretaker committee, which was constituted by party stakeholders to stabilise the party and organise fresh congresses from the ward to national levels to elect substantive officers.
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The court directed INEC to treat Usman’s committee as the official leadership immediately, granting it full access to party codes and statutory responsibilities.
The decision is expected to have immediate implications for the Labour Party’s engagement with INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly in relation to consultative meetings and candidate nominations.
Supporters of the Usman leadership have welcomed the verdict, calling for unity and compliance with the judiciary’s ruling, while the Abure faction has previously attempted to contest the outcome without success.