A federal high court in Abuja has declared Julius Abure as the substantive chair of the Labour Party (LP).
Presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, in a judgment delivered on Tuesday, affirmed the Abure-led leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the party executives.
Subsequently, the judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Abure as the legitimate chair of the party.
The judge held, “I am of the view and so hold that the basis of these cogent verifiable documents, the defendant’s 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 earlier invalidated Abure’s leadership, saying the national convention violated the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act.
The electoral body said the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention, insisting that Abure’s tenure as LP national chair expired in June 2024.
In February, Abure was accused by the national treasurer of the party, Oluchi Oparah of misappropriating N3.5 billion. Abure refuted the claim and threatened to sue Oparah.
Members of the party, however, began demanding for Abure’s removal.
In April 2023, the FCT high court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chair of the LP.
The presiding judge, Hamza Muazu while ruling on an ex parte application, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organizing secretary; and Oluchi Opara, treasurer; from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
On September 4, a former senator representing Kaduna South, Nenadi Usman was appointed to chair a 29-member caretaker committee after Governor Alex Otti of Abia State convened a stakeholders meeting of the party in Umuahia.
LP’s presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, were among the top chieftains of the party at the meeting.
