Julius Abure No Longer Recognise As Labour Party Chairman – INEC Says

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared as unconstitutional and illegal for Mr Julius Abure to continue to portray himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

INEC particularly declared that the Abure’s led leadership of the Party remains invalid, stressing that the Commission does not recognise the LP’s March 2024 National Convention where Abure was allegedly re-elected as chairman.

The Commission specifically said that the LP’s convention violated the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act, stressing that as an electoral body, it only engages with parties that have valid and subsisting leadership.

These were contained in a counter affidavit filed in response to the Labour Party’s suit challenging its exclusion from INEC’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.

INEC therefore said that it does not recognise Abure and other National Working Committee members of the Labour Party because their tenure expired in June 2024.

In a written address in support of the counter affidavit, INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, SAN, argued that the Labour Party’s suit is seeking declaratory reliefs, cannot be granted as a matter of course or based on mere admissions.

The Commission contended that the Labour Party must succeed on the strength of its case, even in the face of admissions.

The Commission through its lawyers averred that having failed to comply with the extant legal frameworks in conducting its national convention; the Labour Party does not have a valid leadership that INEC can engage.

INEC therefor urged the court to dismiss the suit, stressing that the Labour Party is not entitled to the reliefs being sought.