By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday declared Julius Abure as the substantive Chairman of the Labour Party.
Delivering judgement, Justice Nwite affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the national leadership.
Justice Nwite further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Abure as the legitimate chairman, overriding the Commission’s earlier stance that Abure’s leadership was invalid.
In his words, “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.
The plaintiff has proved 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.”
INEC had argued that the Labour Party’s national convention violated the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act and that the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention.
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 announcement was made in response to a lawsuit filed by the Labour Party, challenging their exclusion from INEC’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
According to INEC, the Labour Party’s March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected Abure as chairman, violated both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. As a result, INEC argued that the party’s leadership is invalid and that they only engage with parties that have legitimate leadership in place.
INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, SAN, emphasized 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.