LP Faction Rejects Appeal Court Ruling on Leadership Dispute

The Labour Party (LP) faction loyal to National Chairman Julius Abure has formally rejected a recent ruling by the Appeal Court concerning its leadership dispute, describing the judgment as unacceptable. In a statement issued on April 21, 2025, and shared via the party’s official channels, Abure criticized the court’s decision, arguing that it contradicts established legal principles regarding the internal affairs of political parties. He maintained that leadership matters within political parties are internal issues and pointed to previous court rulings that have upheld this position. “We have seen what transpired today at the Appeal Court, the judgement is not acceptable to all of us,” Abure said. The party chairman also dismissed claims that the tenure of the current leadership had expired, asserting that a valid national convention held in March 2024 in Nnewi remains in effect. He described the meeting in Umuahia, which led to the emergence of a caretaker committee, as unconstitutional, insisting that only recognized party leadership has the authority to convene such gatherings. Abure confirmed that the party has already initiated legal steps to challenge the ruling. “We are going to appeal that decision, we will move to the Supreme Court,” he added. The leadership crisis within the Labour Party has been ongoing, with rival factions claiming legitimacy. The Appeal Court’s ruling had appeared to favor the caretaker committee led by Abure’s opponents, but the Abure faction’s rejection of the judgment signals that the dispute is far from resolved. The case is now expected to proceed to the Supreme Court, where a final decision will determine the party’s leadership structure ahead of future electoral contests.