Nenadi Usman is LP Chairman, Supreme Court Judgement CTC Confirms

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has admonished party officers to abide by the constitution and regulations guiding the election of party officers.

The advise of the apex court was contained in the judgement it delivered in the appeal filed by the caretaker committee chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Nenadi Usman.

In the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement made available to the media at the ongoing National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party in Abuja, Honourable Justice Inyang Okoro who read the unanimous judgement called on politicians and party officials to respect their party constitutions to avoid incessant court interventions in the management and affairs of the party,

Part of the judgement reads:

“In its judgment delivered on 17th January, 2025 the learned Justices at the court below struck out the suit of this 1st Respondent as commenced at the trial court for want of jurisdiction, howbeit, not before affirming Barr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party, hence this further and final appeal by the Appellants.

 

The Appellants’ quarrel which has evoked this unending appeal is with the decision of the court to recognize and pronounce Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party as sought in relief 5 of the originating summons.

 

In summary, both the trial court and the court below had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit of this 1^st Respondent which main relief, as they both rightly observed, was inserted as relief number five (5) as though it was an appendage.

 

Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial court and the court below recognizing Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st Respondent are hereby set aside and suit No.FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction.

 

In the same vein, the 1st Respondent’s cross-appeal in Appeal No.SC/CV/56A/2025 being an offshoot of the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed.

 

Before I am done, may I admonish political parties and their members to endeavor to always allow their constitutions, rules, regulations and guidelines to guide them in choosing their officers as well as candidates. That way, incessant internal rifts which always find their way to court would be reduced. If the constitution of a political party has prescribed duration for tenure of office of an officer, such officer should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of the tenure.

 

In the final analysis, I find this appeal to be meritorious and is hereby allowed. Parties shall bear their respective costs.

Appeal Allowed.”

 

FACTSHEET reports that the Supreme Court on Friday April 4, 2025 quashed the Appeal Court judgement that reinstating Mr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party and affirmed the Senator Nenadi Usman as the substantive Caretaker Chairman of the party reiterating the earlier ruling of the party that leadership of political parties remain an internal affair of political parties as stipulated in their various constitutions.