The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially stated that Julius Abure is no longer recognized as the Labour Party (LP) National Chairman, calling his continued claim to the position “illegal and unconstitutional.” This announcement was made through a counter-affidavit submitted by Ayuba Mohammed from INEC’s Litigation and Prosecution Department in response to a lawsuit filed by the Labour Party (Suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024).
The Labour Party had contested its exclusion from INEC’s training sessions for party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. The dispute originated from the expiration of Abure’s tenure on June 9, 2024, as confirmed by the Labour Party’s Board of Trustees Secretary, Salisu Mohammad.
INEC stated it did not monitor or recognize the Labour Party’s National Convention held in Anambra on March 27, 2024, where Abure claimed re-election. The commission argued that Abure’s leadership and the convention violated the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. INEC emphasized that it only engages with parties that have lawful leadership.
INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, SAN, contended that the Labour Party failed to adhere to legal requirements for its national convention, rendering Abure’s leadership invalid. The commission has requested that the court dismiss the Labour Party’s lawsuit, asserting that the party is not entitled to the reliefs it sought.