Abure Takes Labour Party leadership battle to Supreme Court, announces free forms for 2027 aspirants

Factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has confirmed that his camp has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Appeal Court judgment recognising Nenadi Usman as the party’s national chairman.

Abure made the announcement on Monday during a press conference in Abuja, where he also unveiled a policy granting free nomination forms to aspirants seeking to contest under his faction of the party in the 2027 general elections.

The latest move deepens the leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party, which has remained divided into rival camps following conflicting court rulings and disputes over the control of party structures nationwide.

Speaking at the briefing, Abure said his faction had fulfilled its earlier promise to challenge the Appeal Court judgment at the apex court.

“Nigerians will recall that when the Court of Appeal delivered judgment on April 21 on the Labour Party crisis, our leadership stated clearly that the party would head to the Supreme Court,” he said.

“I am happy to announce that we have filed our notice of appeal and that we are waiting for the compilation of our records so that we can properly file our brief in the Supreme Court,” Abure added.

Despite the unresolved legal battle over the party’s leadership, Abure insisted that his faction would proceed with preparations for the 2027 elections and fully participate in the electoral process.

He disclosed that all nomination forms under his leadership would be made available free of charge through the party’s online platforms and structures across the country.

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“In any event, the Labour Party under our leadership will participate fully in the 2027 elections. Our forms are available, and aspirants have been picking up forms. All our forms can be accessed on the Labour Party’s social and online platforms for free,” he stated.

The factional chairman explained that the decision was necessary to ensure that interested members were not excluded from the pre-election process due to the ongoing legal uncertainty.

“You may want to know why we have chosen to participate fully in this coming election in spite of the Appeal Court ruling. Of course, you are aware that for anyone to participate in a pre-election matter, you must have participated in all the processes leading to the primaries, including buying nomination forms and observing all INEC regulations,” he said.

“As a result, we have encouraged all our members across the country who have an interest in running for elective offices to pick up the necessary form for free so that they can participate and be part of the process,” Abure added.

He further announced that governorship and state assembly primaries under his faction would hold on May 27, while National Assembly primaries were scheduled for May 29, 2026.

Abure also disclosed that the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election would emerge through a consensus arrangement in Abuja on May 29.

The Labour Party chieftain blamed the current internal crisis on what he described as a “volte-face” by the Independent National Electoral Commission, alleging that the electoral body’s refusal to recognise his leadership created divisions within the party.

The fresh development came barely a day after another round of controversy involving Alex Otti and the national leadership of the party over the authenticity of nomination forms being circulated ahead of the elections.

Abure’s camp has faced accusations of disregarding court rulings and acting contrary to the position of INEC amid growing uncertainty over which faction constitutes the legitimate leadership of the party.

The controversy intensified after photographs surfaced online showing Abure presenting Labour Party nomination forms to former National Vice Chairman of the party, Ceekay Igara, and other party members in Abia State.

Reacting to the development on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, warned aspirants against obtaining nomination forms from Abure’s faction, describing such documents as “worthless paper.”

The Labour Party crisis has continued to generate tension within the opposition party as rival camps battle for legitimacy ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

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