BREAKING: Peter Obi, Otti loses as Court upholds Abure as Labour Party Chairman

The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Julius Abure as the legitimate Chairman of the Labour Party.

The ruling was delivered on Tuesday, validating the leadership of Abure and the outcomes of the March 2024 Nnewi convention that established the national leadership of the party.

This decision follows a tumultuous period for the Labour Party, particularly after accusations of betrayal were leveled against its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, by the Abure faction.

This came after INEC announced it did not recognize Abure as the party’s National Chairman, igniting further discord within the party.

In a counter-affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, INEC claimed that Abure’s leadership was invalid and that the March 2024 National Convention, which re-elected him, violated both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The electoral body emphasized that it only engages with parties that have legitimate leadership.

INEC, represented by its legal team led by Tanko Inuwa, SAN, requested the court to dismiss the Labour Party’s lawsuit, arguing that the party had not met the legal requirements for holding its national convention, thereby invalidating its leadership.

The Abure faction, through spokesperson Obiora Ifoh, criticized those advocating for Abure’s removal, suggesting that many lacked the resources to purchase nomination forms for the 2023 elections.

In May, the crisis within the Labour Party deepened when a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued an order barring Julius Abure and National Secretary Farouk Ibrahim from presenting themselves as national leaders of the party. Other national officers, including National Organising Secretary Clement Ojukwu and Treasurer Oluchi Opara, were also restrained.

This ongoing turmoil follows the suspension of Abure by the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party, further complicating the party’s leadership struggles.