By Chinedu Echianu
The controversy on the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) took a new twist on Friday as the Supreme Court removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Party.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in an unanimous judgement set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had recognised Abure as the party’s national chairman.
The apex court in its decision, held that the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to make such a declaration, given that the substance of the case concerned the internal leadership of the party.
The court emphasised that matters relating to party leadership are internal affairs, over which the judiciary has no jurisdiction.
In addition, the Supreme Court noted that the appeal filed by Senator Esther Usman and another was allowed, having been found to be meritorious.
The court also observed that, based on the submissions before it, Abure’s tenure had already expired. Consequently, it dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the Labour Party.
