Court Affirms Julius Abure As Labour Party Chairman

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that Julius Abure is the rightful Chairman of the Labour Party.

In his ruling on Tuesday, October 8, Justice Emeka Nwite confirmed Abure’s leadership and validated the March 2024 Nnewi convention that appointed the national leadership.

He also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Abure as the legitimate chairman, overruling INEC’s previous stance.

Justice Nwite further ordered INEC to grant the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership all the rights and privileges due to a registered political party in Nigeria.

The judge stated, “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, which re-elected Abure, violated the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, and that Abure’s tenure ended in June 2024.

This claim arose after the Labour Party filed a lawsuit against INEC for being excluded from the process of uploading party agents for upcoming elections in Edo and Ondo.

INEC, led by legal counsel Tanko Inuwa, SAN, contended that the Labour Party did not follow proper legal procedures for their convention, making Abure’s leadership invalid.

Despite this, the court ruled in favor of Julius Abure, solidifying his position as the Labour Party’s chairman.

KanyiDaily recalls that last year, an Appeal Court had removed Julius Abure from his role and named Lamido Apapa as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.