By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– The Supreme Court, on Friday, nullified the judgement that recognised Mr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP.

In a unanimous decision, a five-man panel of the apex court vacated the January 17 judgement of Court of Appeal in Abuja, which validated Abure’s continued stay in office as National Chairman of the party.

According to the Supreme Court, the appellate court lacked the jurisdiction to enter any pronouncement in favour of Abure since it had earlier found that the subject matter of the dispute bordered on the leadership of a political party.

It held that the substance of the case centered on the domestic affair of a political party which no court has the powers to meddle into.

Consequently, the Supreme Court allowed an appeal that was filed by a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, who are the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of a Caretaker Committee that was earlier appointed to pilot the affairs of the party.

It will be recalled that following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.

To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with the former Finance Minister, Senator Usman as Chairman and Hon. Nwokocha as Secretary.

The decision was the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party that was hosted in Umuahia by governor Alex Otti of Abia State.

The meeting where Abure was sacked from office was chaired by his former ally and candidate of the party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Abure approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to validate his position as the National Chairman of the party.

In an affidavit he personally deposed to in support of the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, Abure told the court that following the death of the National Chairman of the LP, he was lawfully elected as the Acting National Chairman of the party at a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the party that held in Benin City, Edo State, on March 29, 2021.

He told the court that on April 18, 2023, at the NEC meeting of the party held in Asaba, Delta State and duly monitored by INEC, it was resolved that tenures of State Chairmen whose tenures had expired, be renewed.

He said it was at the same meeting that some members that were engaged in anti-party activities were expelled and replacements for vacant positions created as a result of the expulsion, done.

Abure averred that in line with a consensus that was reached at the meeting, the party subsequently held its National Convention on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi, Anambra State, where we was lawfully elected to the office of National Chairman of the LP.

He said the party under his leadership produced candidates for governorship elections in both Edo and Ondo states.

According to the plaintiff, on June 28, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, issued to him and 18 other National Chairmen of political parties, a Notice for Inspection of Sensitive Election Materials for the Ondo and Edo state governorship polls.

However, he decried that a later notice that INEC gave for political parties to nominate two persons from their IT Unit to undertake a training on how to upload data unto INEC’s portal for the purpose of the impending  Ondo state gubernatorial election, was not served on him.

Abure told the court that he became aware of the existence of the said notice of the training by INEC, on August 21, 2024, due to the fact that he is a member of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee, IPAC.

Therefore, he prayed the court to intervene by compelling INEC to acord him recognition as the National Chairman of the LP.

Delivering judgement in the matter on October 8, 2024, trial Justice Emeka Nwite held that he found merit in the case of the plaintiff.

He ordered INEC grant the LP under Abure’s leadership, all the rights and privileges accorded a political party duly registered in the country.

The court further directed INEC to perform its lawful duty by conducting a refresher training for the upload of LP’s agents into the INEC portal and to issue the plaintiff (Abure) the Access Code required to access INEC’s portal for the Ondo Governorship Election that held on November 16, 2024.

“I am of the view that and so hold that on the basis of these cogent verifiable documents, the defendants attempt to impeach the validity of the leadership of the plaintiff fails.

“The plaintiff has proved his case.

“I hereby make an order compelling the defendant to accord the plaintiff’s political party under the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure all the rights and privileges accorded a political party duly registered in Nigeria,” Justice Nwite held.

Though the high court’s judgement was affirmed by the appellate court, it was however set-aside by the Supreme Court on Friday.

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a $5 million “gold card” immigration visa for wealthy foreign investors to have permanent residency in the US

Trump unveiled the card while talking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, calling it the “Trump card.”

The new visa pathway offers permanent US residency and a route to citizenship in exchange for a $5 million investment. The gold-coloured card is set to replace the current EB-5 visa program.

Showing off the new card aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “For $5 million, this could be yours. That was the first of the cards. You know what that card is? It’s the gold card—the Trump card.” Trump added that the US would start issuing the card in less than two weeks.

When asked who the fist buyer was, Trump responded, “It’s me. It’s pretty exciting, right?”

The Gold Card initiative is designed to generate economic growth through high-level foreign investment. The administration plans to discontinue the EB-5 visa program, which requires a $1 million investment and the creation of at least ten jobs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticised the EB-5 program, calling it “full of nonsense, make-believe and fraud.”

He added that the new Gold Card will attract “wonderful, world-class global citizens.”

President Trump emphasised the potential economic benefit of the program. He estimated that selling one million Gold Cards could bring in $5 trillion in revenue. “We have $35 trillion in debt. That’ll be nice, so we’ll see,” Trump stated.

The card does not offer immediate citizenship but grants lawful residence with eligibility for citizenship likely after five years, pending verification of the applicant’s status as a global citizen.

Further details on the application process and qualification criteria are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

: @foxnews

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed speculations of a rift between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, rejecting claims that Tinubu is considering a new running mate for the 2027 elections.

Despite Tinubu not officially announcing a re-election bid, party loyalists and key stakeholders have reportedly begun mobilizing support for a potential second term. However, recent rumors suggesting discord between Tinubu and Shettima have been described as unfounded by party officials.

Alhaji Bala Ibrahim, APC’s National Director of Publicity, refuted the reports, describing them as “beer-parlour discussions” without any credible basis.

“This is pure speculation without foundation. These are beer-parlour discussions that should not be taken seriously,” Ibrahim said.

He added that even if the president were to consider replacing the vice president, such a decision would require extensive consultations with critical stakeholders, not unilateral action.

Meanwhile, political stakeholders from Nigeria’s North Central geopolitical zone have renewed their demand for either the presidency or vice presidency in the 2027 elections.

At a press conference held in Abuja, leaders from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kogi, and Kwara states, led by Prof. Nghargbu K’tso, urged major political parties to consider zoning their presidential or vice-presidential tickets to the region.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the stakeholders argued that if APC grants Tinubu the “right of first refusal” for the presidential ticket, the vice-presidential slot should be allocated to the North Central.

Prof. K’tso, flanked by other regional leaders, emphasized that the region has been sidelined since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, having never produced a democratically elected president or vice president.

“Of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, only North Central and South East have not occupied the positions of president or vice president in the past 26 years of the Fourth Republic,” he said.

He noted that the North Central’s case is worse than that of the South East, which at least produced Dr. Alex Ekwueme as vice president from 1979 to 1983.

“This is about fairness. We want to be recognized not as mere political adjuncts but as full stakeholders in the ‘One North’ project,” K’tso stated.

However, the APC has dismissed the North Central’s demand, describing it as unrealistic and premature.

Reacting to the calls, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim said the demand was “dead on arrival,” arguing that the region’s electoral contribution is relatively low compared to other zones like the North West.

“The North Central should not see the presidency or vice presidency as a right, especially given its relatively lower electoral contribution compared to zones like the North West. They have made similar demands in the past, but these are often irrational and only serve to create unnecessary political tension,” Ibrahim revealed.

He further noted that zoning discussions should not arise while President Tinubu is still serving his first term.

“The current occupant of the presidency must be given the chance to serve two terms. Conversations about zoning should only happen after that,” he emphasized.