The leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) reached a definitive turning point on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, as the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the suit filed by Julius Abure, officially affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as the recognized leader of the party.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, unanimously upheld the January 21 ruling of the Federal High Court. The appellate court ruled that the Supreme Court had already settled the matter on April 4, 2025, by nullifying the convention that purportedly returned Abure as National Chairman and declaring that his tenure had expired. The justices characterized the 29-member caretaker committee led by Usman as a “doctrine of necessity” required to fill a leadership vacuum.
The court was notably harsh in its judgment, accusing Abure of “forum shopping” and abusing the court process by attempting to relitigate issues already decided by the apex court. Consequently, the court imposed a fine of ₦10 million on Abure for wasting judicial time. While Nenadi Usman hailed the verdict as a victory for the rule of law, Julius Abure has rejected the ruling, describing it as an “unacceptable” interference in internal party affairs and vowing to take the battle to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already updated its records to reflect Usman as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
