Nenadi Declares Supreme Court Judgment Final, Says Datti Baba-Ahmed’s Endorsement of Abure Changes Nothing in LP Leadership

 

A renewed political storm is brewing within the Labour Party as its Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, has strongly opposed the recent endorsement of Barr. Julius Abure by Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.

Her response comes days after Baba-Ahmed publicly recognised Abure as the authentic national chairman of the party. According to Senator Usman, that position is not only misleading but also a clear contradiction of the final pronouncement of Nigeria’s Supreme Court regarding the leadership of the Labour Party.

A statement issued through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ken Eluma Asogwa, maintained that the party’s leadership crisis had long been settled by the apex court. Usman emphasized that the judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, remains the authoritative position on the matter. She added that the decision clearly upheld her position as the legitimate National Chairman of the Labour Party and invalidated all claims by Barr. Julius Abure.

Usman made it clear that while Dr. Baba-Ahmed has the right to express his opinions and associate freely, those personal views cannot override the binding judgment of the highest court in the land. “The leadership question within the Labour Party has been conclusively addressed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” she said.

The statement pointedly referred to page 47 of the judgment as containing the explicit ruling that put to rest the long-standing tussle over party leadership. The court, she stressed, granted all reliefs sought in her appeal, thereby affirming her position as the party’s legitimate leader.

She further argued that the recognition of Abure by Baba-Ahmed holds no legal weight and cannot change what has already been determined by the court. “The acceptance of and adherence to the finality of Supreme Court judgments is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” she warned.

According to Usman, any claim or suggestion implying that Abure holds any valid leadership position within the Labour Party is nullified by the unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court. “This unambiguous ruling of Nigeria’s highest judicial authority effectively nullifies any claim by Barr. Julius Abure to the office of National Chairman,” the statement noted.

Despite the internal rift, Senator Usman acknowledged the conciliatory tone in Baba-Ahmed’s message. She commended his intention to reconcile factions within the party but reminded him that such reconciliation must be rooted in truth and legality. “Efforts aimed at peacebuilding must not rewrite facts or undermine the authority of the judiciary,” she stated.

As the Labour Party gears up for its upcoming congresses at the ward, local government, and state levels, Usman has called for calm, unity, and internal discipline. She emphasized that only a cohesive party could serve as a formidable opposition and a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The leadership of the party, she said, is actively reaching out to aggrieved stakeholders to ensure reconciliation that is founded on mutual respect, rule of law, and shared political objectives. Her appeal to members was simple but direct: remain steadfast and committed to the legal structures governing the party.

Labour Party watchers say this latest development could either serve as a turning point toward genuine internal resolution or deepen existing divisions. The insistence of Usman on her judicially validated position, coupled with Baba-Ahmed’s support for a factional leader, has once again thrown the spotlight on the need for clear direction and adherence to legal norms within party politics.

With party congresses and a national convention on the horizon, all eyes are now on the Labour Party. The direction it takes in resolving this leadership crisis could have serious implications for its future role as a viable opposition in Nigeria’s complex political landscape.