The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, has mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to acknowledge Julius Abure as the legitimate Chairman of the Labour Party.
On Tuesday, Justice Nwite issued a ruling that affirmed the leadership of the party under Abure.
Additionally, he validated the March 2024 Nnewi convention, which resulted in the election of the national leadership, and directed INEC to recognize this leadership structure.
The Labour Party (LP) has accused its presidential candidate from the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, along with Abia State Governor Alex Otti, of betrayal.
This accusation arose from INEC's announcement that it did not recognize Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
Reports indicate that INEC filed a counter-affidavit in response to a lawsuit from the Labour Party, which contested its exclusion from the commission's refresher training for party agents in preparation for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
INEC contended that the party's leadership, including Abure, was not valid and that the March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure, contravened both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The commission asserted, “It only engages with parties that possess legitimate leadership.”
Through its legal representative, Tanko Inuwa, SAN, INEC further argued that the Labour Party's suit sought declaratory reliefs that could not be granted based solely on admissions, emphasizing that the party must substantiate its claims.
INEC maintained that due to the Labour Party's failure to fulfill legal requirements for conducting its national convention, the party lacked valid leadership.
The commission urged the court to dismiss the Labour Party's suit, asserting, “The Labour Party is not entitled to the reliefs it is seeking.”
In a statement released by its spokesperson, Obiora Ifoh, the Abure-led faction criticized those advocating for Abure's removal, claiming that many did not have the necessary funds to purchase nomination forms in advance of the 2023 elections.
It was also reported in May that the Labour Party crisis worsened when a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued an order prohibiting Julius Abure, the party's National Chairman, and Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary, from presenting themselves as national leaders of the organization. Additionally, the court ordered that neither Clement Ojukwu, the National Organising Secretary, nor Oluchi Opara, the Treasurer, could pose as national officers of the Labour Party. Recall that a post-election crisis rocked the party due to Abure's suspension by the Edo State.
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