Court Refuses Ex Parte Order Sought by Nenadi Faction Against LP’s Abure Leadership

The leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new turn following allegations that the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) has approached a Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State, in an attempt to overturn a Supreme Court judgement affirming the party’s leadership under Julius Abure.

The Julius Abure-led faction condemned what it described as a clandestine move by the Usman-led group, accusing them of attempting to bypass the apex court’s decision. According to a statement from the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the group, reportedly backed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, used a proxy, Sule Garba, to file a Motion Exparte in Suit No FHC/GS/CS/30/2025, seeking to bar Abure and the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, from continuing to act in their official capacities.

The Gusau court, presided over by Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, refused to grant the Exparte Order on May 15, 2025. The judge ruled that all parties—Abure, Ibrahim, the Labour Party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—must first be notified. The case has been adjourned to June 4, 2025, for further proceedings, with the court ordering an expedited hearing.

Ifoh expressed dismay at what he called persistent efforts by some LP members to “shop for favourable court orders” to destabilize the party, describing such actions as desperate and counterproductive. He recalled a similar failed attempt in Aba last year and questioned the rationale behind seeking judicial intervention despite the Supreme Court’s clear ruling.

He emphasized that the April 4, 2025, Supreme Court judgement explicitly stated that party leadership disputes are internal matters and not subject to court jurisdiction. He further noted that even INEC had acknowledged that the stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia, which appointed Usman as LP chair, was illegal.

Appealing for unity, Ifoh urged all aggrieved members to respect the Supreme Court’s decision and work towards strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. At the time of reporting, the Usman-led NCC had yet to respond to the allegations.