By Eshioromeh Sebastian, Abuja
There is growing internal pressure on embattled Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, to resign in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on the party’s leadership crisis, Spear News has gathered.
A highly placed party source who spoke to our reporter in confidence confirmed that senior party officials are pushing for Abure’s immediate resignation to allow the party resolve constitutional issues highlighted by the court’s judgment.
“The leadership understands this is the necessary step forward, and Chairman Abure himself knows what is before us”, the official disclosed to Spear News on condition of anonymity.
The development comes as the party grapples with the legal and constitutional implications of last week’s Supreme Court ruling, which declared the leadership dispute a non-justiciable internal party matter
Labour Party’s leadership crisis took an unexpected turn after a recent Supreme Court’s ruling, with rival factions each claiming victory.
Overturning a Court of Appeal decision that upheld Julius Abure as chairman, the apex court ruled that the dispute was an internal party matter beyond judicial jurisdiction. A five-member panel, led by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, voided both lower courts’ rulings and dismissed Abure’s cross-appeal while upholding the appeal by ex-Finance Minister Nenadi Usman’s faction.
The court advised political parties to follow their constitutions and warned officials with expired tenures to step down. Despite the ruling, both factions continue to assert control. Meanwhile, the NLC has threatened to take over the party, mobilizing members for a showdown.
In a related move, Governor Alex Otti and Peter Obi’s faction held a NEC meeting and submitted the Supreme Court’s judgment to INEC, demanding Abure’s removal from its records. This followed an earlier NEC meeting by Abure’s group.
Adding to the chaos, Lamidi Apapa, another factional leader, declared himself the legitimate chairman, citing the Supreme Court ruling—further deepening the crisis with three claimants now vying for the position.
Experts believe that even if the judgment may have been couched in the careful language of jurisdiction and justiciability, its consequences were stark – by withdrawing judicial recognition, the court effectively pulled the rug from under Abure’s leadership claims.
Consequently, the party will convene an emergency meeting this week to address growing demands for National Chairman Julius Abure to formally announce his acceptance of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the party’s leadership crisis.
The source said Abure was advised to take the path of honour, having been beneficiary of previous legal victories, he is obligate him to respect the judiciary’s latest decision. “Having benefited from favorable court rulings in the past, the chairman cannot afford to disregard this Supreme Court judgment,” the source stated.
The leadership is simultaneously working to reconcile internal factions ahead of the 2027 general elections. “While resolving this immediate crises, we’re addressing all outstanding grievances to present a united front,” the official added. “No individual, regardless of position, supersedes the collective interest of the party.”
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