THE faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Julius Abure has announced plans to challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that removed him as the party’s national chairman.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling delivered today, sacked Abure from office and recognised a Caretaker Committee headed by former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, to oversee the party’s affairs.
Reacting to the decision, the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the party would file an appeal against the judgment.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Ifoh argued that the court misapplied the Supreme Court’s April 4, 2025 ruling by declaring Usman as caretaker chairman.
According to him, the judgment contradicts the Supreme Court’s position that courts lack the authority to appoint leaders for political parties, as such matters fall strictly within internal party affairs.
He expressed confidence that the ruling would be overturned, noting that the Federal High Court is not the final arbiter.
Ifoh added that the party was yet to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment but maintained that preliminary details already showed sufficient grounds for an appeal.
He said the party would approach the Court of Appeal once the judgment document is fully reviewed.
The spokesman also alleged that the party had anticipated the outcome based on developments during the proceedings, claiming it was denied the opportunity to respond to issues raised in a counter-affidavit before judgment was delivered.
He further accused some opponents of celebrating the verdict on social media even before it was officially handed down.
He recalled that the Court of Appeal had previously recognised the Abure-led National Working Committee as the legitimate leadership of the Labour Party, insisting that the latest ruling does not settle the ongoing leadership crisis.