Court affirms Julius Abure as Labour Party national chairman
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared Julius Abure as the substantive National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
Ruling on Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi Convention that produced the national leadership of the LP.
Justice Nwite ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Abure as the legitimate chairman, overriding INEC’s earlier stance that Abure’s leadership was invalid.
INEC had argued that the LP’s national convention violated the Constitution and Electoral Act and that the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention.
The electoral umpire said Abure’s tenure expired in June 2024.
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Abure no longer chairman of Labour Party, says INEC
INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa (SAN) emphasised that the Labour Party’s suit sought declaratory reliefs that cannot be granted based on admissions alone and that the party needs to prove its case. Due to the Labour Party’s failure to meet the legal requirements for holding their national convention, INEC asserted that the party no longer has valid leadership.
“I am of the view that and so hold that the basis of these cogent verifiable documents, the defendants attempt to impeach the validity of the leadership of the plaintiff fails,” Justice Nwite said.
“The plaintiff has proven 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.”