The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the tenure of the Mr. Julius Abure as the national chairman of Labour Party (LP) has expired.
According to the electoral umpire, the tenure of Mr. Abure expired in June, 2024.
INEC affirmed its position through a counter affidavit deposed at the Federal High Court Abuja in defense of its non-invitation of the Labour Party in a training for political parties ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State.
Associates of the defunct National Chairman of the LP had dragged the electoral umpire to court for not including Labour Party in a training in Ondo State.
However, in the counter affidavit deposed in suit NO. FHC.ABJ/CS/1271/2024 by Mr. Ayuba Mohammed, who identified himself as an Executive Officer in the Department of Litigation and Prosecution in INEC Headquarters, INEC stated that according to “records Julius Abure’s tenure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, along with the party’s National Executive Committee, expired in June 2024.”
The electoral body told the court that it did not monitor the purported March 27, 2024 national convention of the party that Abure’s was claiming that he was reelected the national chairman of the Labour Party.
INEC further told the court that the purported convention was in the breach of extant electoral laws and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
INEC told the court its regulations requires it to deal only with valid National Chairman and National Secretaries of political parties and that as at August 16, 2024 when the notice for the refresher training programme ahead of the Ondo State election was published, the Labour Party had no valid national chairman and secretary.