05
Apr
Apr
SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS COURT OF APPEAL’S JUDGMENT ON LABOUR PARTY CHAIRMANSHIP, UPHOLDS NENADI USMAN’S APPEAL
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CapitalTimesNews / 3 weeks
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- 2 min read
The Supreme Court has unanimously nullified the Court of Appeal’s judgment recognizing Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). A five-member panel of the apex court ruled on Friday that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to declare Abure as party chairman, emphasizing that the dispute involved internal leadership matters beyond judicial intervention. In its decision, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another petitioner, describing it as “meritorious.” The court further dismissed a cross-appeal by Abure’s faction, declaring it “lacking in merit.” Justice Tijjani Abubakar, delivering the lead judgment, stated, “Courts do not have the jurisdiction to determine internal party leadership issues. The Court of Appeal erred in assuming authority over a purely domestic affair of the Labour Party.” The ruling effectively invalidates Abure’s recognition by the appellate court, reigniting debates over the LP’s leadership structure. The Supreme Court reiterated that political parties must resolve such conflicts through internal mechanisms, barring external legal interference. “This decision reaffirms the principle of non-interference in political parties’ internal affairs,” the judgment read. Abure’s camp expressed disappointment, vowing to explore “all legitimate means” to reclaim the position, while Senator Usman hailed the verdict as a “victory for party democracy and the rule of law.” The Labour Party has yet to issue an official statement on the development. Legal analysts describe the judgment as a landmark precedent limiting judicial overreach into political party governance.
