A Federal High Court in Abuja has again intervened in the leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Nenadi Usman–led caretaker committee as the valid leadership of the party.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the ruling on Wednesday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman against INEC.
In his decision, Justice Lifu relied on the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, which he said clearly recognised the Nenadi Usman leadership of the Labour Party after declaring that the tenure of the rival Julius Abure–led faction had expired.
The judge consequently ordered INEC to recognise Sen. Nenadi Usman as the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, a faction of the Labour Party’s National Executive Council (NEC) had, on July 18, 2025, ratified and inaugurated an Interim National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sen. Nenadi Usman as Chairman and Sen. Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary at a meeting held in Abuja.
The communique issued after the meeting was signed by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Sylvester Ejiofoh. Other signatories included the BoT Secretary, Alhaji Salisu Mohammed; President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero; President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, among others.
The communique stated that the NEC unanimously ratified and inaugurated the Interim National Working Committee of the party under the leadership of Sen. Nenadi Usman, with Sen. Darlington Nwokocha as Interim National Secretary, alongside other members.
However, the Abure-led faction rejected the inauguration, insisting that it remains the valid and constitutionally recognised executive of the Labour Party, a position now contradicted by the latest court ruling.
Elijah Adeyemi
