Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly, has declared that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling has effectively sealed the fate of Julius Abure as National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), marking a turning point in the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.
Speaking Thursday night during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television, Senator Umeh said the apex court’s judgment delivered a clear message that Abure’s tenure has expired and that his continued claim to the chairmanship is illegitimate.
“The door has been shut on him,” Umeh said pointedly. “The only thing left is for him to reflect on the Supreme Court’s admonishment—that party officers should step aside when their tenure ends.”
Umeh alleged that Abure knowingly violated a consent judgment from the Federal High Court, which outlined specific obligations he was expected to fulfill. According to Umeh, Abure failed to comply and did not convene any congress since that agreement was reached.
The lawmaker, himself a seasoned political figure and former chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), expressed disappointment that Abure ignored repeated advice.
“I saw this coming and tried to counsel him, but he dismissed my advice,” Umeh revealed.
He urged Abure to accept the olive branch extended by Senator Nenadi Usman’s National Caretaker Committee and return to the fold if he truly believes he still enjoys support within the party.
“If he thinks party members love him, let him go through the proper process to get re-elected,” Umeh added. “He cannot impose himself as chairman.”
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The Labour Party has been mired in internal wrangling, with the leadership tussle pitting Abure’s camp against the Caretaker Committee installed by key party figures, including 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, Governor Alex Otti, and other LP-elected officials.
Last week, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous verdict by a five-member panel, ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to affirm Abure as national chairman.
The apex court emphasized that party leadership disputes are internal matters beyond judicial intervention and concluded that Abure’s tenure had already expired.
The judgment upheld an appeal by Senator Nenadi Usman and another party member, while dismissing the cross-appeal filed by Abure’s faction as lacking merit.
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