Abure: LP Hails Supreme Court Ruling, Prepares For National Convention

The Labour Party on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s nullification of a previous judgment upholding Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the party.

THE WHISTLER reported that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on October 9, 2024, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Nwite also validated the March 27, 2024, national convention of the party in Nnewi, Anambra State, which returned Abure and other executives to office.

Similarly, in a judgment delivered on January 17, Justice Hamma Barka of the Court of Appeal ruled that its earlier decision on November 13, 2024, recognising Abure as the party’s chairman, remains valid and has not been overturned by any court.

However, the Supreme Court on Friday set aside the judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court that affirmed Abure as the party’s chairman.

Reacting in a chat with THE WHISTLER, the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Eng. Nwauwa Nnawuihe, described the judgment as “good news” and an immediate call to action.

Nnawuihe said, “The party’s next line of action will be to fall back internally, just like the position of INEC and the Supreme Court that the leadership of a political party falls within the party to decide.

“By the implication of the Supreme Court judgment nullifying the lower court’s decision that erroneously ruled that Julius Abure is the chairman, giving him a tenure against the positions of INEC, who are the supervisors of political parties in Nigeria, the Labour Party will go back to find a solution within the party.

“The good news is that there are still remnants of the National Executive Council (NEC) members of the political party who will come together and decide on the leadership of the political party based on the constitution of the Labour Party and the Electoral Act. That is the next step we are going to take.”

Nnawuihe noted that the constitution of the Labour Party provides a scenario whereby, in the event of a vacuum in the leadership of the political party, state congresses and national conventions are to be conducted.

He cited the case of the party’s former national chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who died in active service on Tuesday, December 29, 2024.

“If there is a leadership vacuum, just like when AA Salam, the former chairman of the Labour Party, died, the NEC of the Labour Party came together and decided on a new leadership for the political party.

“It must be noted that Abure never contested in a convention, election, or primary to become Labour Party chairman.

“That is a fact; it is on record, even within the INEC domain. So, the same process that happened before will happen again.

“The remaining statutory NEC members of the Labour Party will come together and decide on a way forward.

“That is an internal mechanism provided for in the constitution of the Labour Party and the Electoral Act,” he said.

Asked how soon the next convention will be held to elect a new leadership, Nnawuihe said that would be decided by the party’s NEC.

He noted that the party is yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment.

According to him, once the CTC is thoroughly analysed, the NEC will meet to decide the next line of action.

He said, “What I cannot tell you is when NEC will meet, whether it will be tomorrow, today, next tomorrow, or next month. I cannot say because I am not a member of the NEC. But definitely, they will come together and decide on what to do.

“It is not within Abure’s authority to decide anymore. He is out; he is no longer a NEC member or a National Working Committee member according to the constitution of the Labour Party and the Electoral Act, as well as the position of INEC. His tenure has expired. However, he is still a member of the Labour Party.

“The NEC will come together to decide the new leadership, and the new leadership will decide the convention. The judgment took place today, and we heard the announcement, but the Certified True Copy of the judgment is yet to be released. It would be unfair for me, the national secretary, to tell you if NEC will meet anytime soon.

“Once the certified copy is released, NEC members will study it together. At least the Board of Trustees members, who are statutory, will be involved. The secretary and chairman of the Board of Trustees are also members of the NEC based on the constitution of the Labour Party. They will communicate among themselves and take a decision.

“We should give them some hours, days, or weeks to make that decision.”

When further asked what the party hopes to achieve based on the Supreme Court judgment, Nnawuihe said the emergence of a strong opposition party and the return of members who had defected.

He said, “At least those who left the Labour Party will now start coming back because they deserted the party because of him. Now, people will return to the Labour Party, and by the grace of God, things will improve, and there will be a proper and better opposition in Nigeria.”

He emphasized that power without control was dangerous while noting that there should be a credible opposition that holds leadership accountable.

“This will ensure that the president knows that power is not absolute and that he must think twice before making decisions. We need a credible opposition, and that is what the Labour Party will now focus on for the betterment of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he noted.