Court affirms Abure Labour Party national chairman

The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

Justice Emeka Nwite affirmed this on Tuesday, in a verdict, including the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi Convention, which produced the LP’s national leadership.

Justice Emeka also mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Abure as the legal chairman.

The INEC had earlier stated it no longer recognised Abure as the national chairman of the LP, labelling his continued claim to the position as illegal and unconstitutional.

This position was made clear in a counter-affidavit submitted by Ayuba Mohammed, an executive officer in INEC’s Litigation and Prosecution Department on Monday, in response to a legal suit filed by the Labour Party (Suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024).

The party had challenged its exclusion from INEC’s training for uploading party agents in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

INEC contended that it did not monitor or acknowledge the Labour Party’s national convention held in Anambra on March 27, 2024, where Abure claimed to have been re-elected as chairman.

According to INEC, Abure’s leadership and the convention itself violated the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. The commission asserted that it only engages with political parties that have lawful leadership in place.

INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, further argued that the Labour Party had failed to meet legal requirements for holding its national convention, rendering its leadership invalid.