Court Affirms Abure as LP Chairman

The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to validate and recognize the Abure-led leadership of the party.

The court also validated the March 2024 Nnewi national convention of the party that produced the Abure-led executive.

Justice Nwite said: “I am of the view that, based on these cogent verifiable documents, the defendants’ attempt to impeach the validity of the leadership of the plaintiff fails.

“The plaintiff has proved his case, and 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 to a political party duly registered in Nigeria.”

The Labour Party had sued INEC as the sole defendant in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024.

The party asked the court to decide, among other things, whether by the combined interpretation of Sections 251(1)(r) and 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 43 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the plaintiff was entitled to be issued the Notice of the Refresher Training for Upload of Political Party Agents onto the INEC Portal for the Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on November 16, 2024.

The party prayed the court for an order compelling INEC to accord the Abure-led leadership all the rights and privileges accorded to a political party duly registered in Nigeria, and a cost of N5 million for the action.

INEC had challenged the party’s suit, arguing that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Abure, was invalid and that the March 2024 National Convention that re-elected Abure as chairman violated both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.

However, the court ruled in favor of the Labour Party, validating Abure’s position as National Chairman.

Recall that INEC had earlier announced that it did not recognize Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, prompting the party to accuse its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, of betrayal.