The Labour Party Candidates Forum (LPCF) has commended the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court for their landmark judgments that removed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The forum described the two court rulings — the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, and the Federal High Court judgment of August 15, 2025 — as clear, unambiguous, and decisive in finally putting to rest the leadership crisis within the Labour Party.

The forum’s Chairman and Labour Party’s 2023 Kogi State governorship candidate, Barr. Okeme Adejoh, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja.

He also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for upholding internal democracy by ceasing to recognise Julius Abure as the National Chairman, following the expiration of his tenure.

Adejoh said: “We commend INEC for its respect for the rule of law and for protecting the integrity of internal party democracy. We call on INEC to upload the name of Dist. Sen. Nenadi Usman as the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party and Sen. Darlington Nwokocha as the Interim National Secretary of the Labour Party.

“As appointed by the NEC of the party, they are to continue to conduct party activities in preparation for the imminent ward, LGA, and state congresses, and then the National Convention.

“The leadership of the Labour Party Candidates Forum also commends and congratulates Sen. Nenadi Usman and Dist. Sen. Darlington Nwokocha for their victory in the Supreme Court and their quality leadership in repositioning our great party towards victory come 2027.

“We hereby warn Julius Abure to stop distracting the party and obey both the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court judgments that sacked him as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. One man cannot be above a political party.”

He appealed to all aggrieved members of the Labour Party to sheathe their swords and return to the fold to help rebuild and strengthen the party.

Adejoh emphasised that political laws and party leadership structures must evolve according to constitutional timelines and court rulings.

He added: “The tenure of the former chairman and his team has expired. New leaders have been appointed to steer the party through the next phase. INEC is a regulatory umpire meant to serve political parties, not the other way around.”

In his remarks, the 2023 Ebonyi State governorship candidate and Secretary of the Labour Party Candidates Forum, Comr. Splendour Oko Eze, reiterated the need for obedience to judicial authority, accusing Julius Abure of repeatedly flouting court orders.

Eze said: “Judgments of Nigerian courts are meant to be obeyed. I am not surprised that Julius Abure has refused to obey the Supreme Court judgment that removed him as National Chairman.

“In my own case, I won judgments against Abure at the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal in Enugu, and finally at the Supreme Court in Abuja, yet he still refused to comply.”

He called on Nigerian authorities to investigate Abure’s conduct, warning that disregard for court orders threatens the country’s democracy.

He added: “When court judgments are ignored, what follows is autocracy, tyranny, and despotism, and Nigeria cannot afford that. Julius Abure is no longer the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

“The tenure of the elected executive committee has expired. Abure was not originally meant to be chairman, but he assumed the position due to the magnanimity of our former chairman in 2019. From 2019 to 2025, his tenure has long expired.

“The Supreme Court and the Federal High Court have both affirmed this. We wish him well in his future endeavours, but as far as the Labour Party is concerned, his time is over.”