The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared it illegal and unconstitutional for Julius Abure to continue presenting himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). INEC stated that Abure’s tenure, along with those of other members of the party’s National Working Committee, expired in June 2024.
This position was outlined in a counter-affidavit filed by INEC in response to a lawsuit initiated by the Labour Party, which challenged the party’s exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
INEC argued that the leadership of the Labour Party, including Julius Abure, is no longer valid. The commission emphasized that it does not recognize the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which reportedly re-elected Abure as chairman. INEC asserted that the convention was in violation of both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. The commission further explained that it only interacts with political parties that have legitimate leadership structures in place.
In a written submission supporting the counter-affidavit, INEC’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Tanko Inuwa, stated that the Labour Party’s lawsuit is seeking declaratory reliefs, which cannot be granted based solely on the admissions made by the party. The legal team argued that the Labour Party must prove its case before the court, despite any admissions it has presented.
The lawyers further emphasized that the Labour Party had failed to meet the legal requirements for holding a valid national convention, and as a result, the party no longer has a legitimate leadership body with which INEC can engage. Therefore, they urged the court to dismiss the Labour Party’s lawsuit, asserting that the party is not entitled to the reliefs it is requesting.
