The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognise Julius Abure as the substantive National Chairman of the Labour Party, affirming the March 2024 Nnewi National Convention that produced the Party’s national leadership.
Justice Emeka Nwite while delivering judgment on Tuesday, also affirmed the Abure-led leadership, overriding the Independent National Electoral Commission’s earlier stance that the Nnewi Convention was invalid.
The trial judge made an order compelling INEC to accord the Labour Party under the leadership of Julius Abure all the rights and privileges accorded a political party duly registered in Nigeria.
INEC had argued that the Labour Party’s national convention in March 2024 violated the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act, and that the Party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the Convention.
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The Electoral body had said that Julius Abure is no longer the National Chairman of the Labour Party, citing that his tenure expired in June 2024.
The judgement was delivered in the lawsuit filed by the Julius Abure-led group of the Labour Party, challenging their exclusion from INEC’s refresher training for uploading Party Agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court had in May this year, issued an order barring the National Chairman of the Party, Julius Abure and the National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim from parading themselves as national leaders of the Party, which deepened the Labour Party crisis.
Also restrained by the earlier order of the FCT High Court from parading themselves as the national officers of the Labour Party were the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu and the Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, but now upturned by the Federal High Court order.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
