The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have finally laid to rest the controversy over the position of the Julius Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP) by confirming that the tenure of Julius Abure has expired
This was contained in a counter affidavit sworn to by the commission, in a suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in response to an affidavit filed by Abure’s legal team.
Recall that the Abure-led leadership had approached the court to compel INEC to recognise its candidates for the August 16th by-election.
In the counter affidavit deposed to by Ayuba Mohammed, the commission’s executive officer (Litigation and Prosecution), INEC stated that the tenure of Julius Abure as the national chairman of LP, with its entire executive committee, expired as clearly stated in the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025.
The Commission said it neither “monitored nor recognised the purported National Convention held in Nnewi on 27 March 2024, where Abure claimed he was re-elected as the LP National Chairman, having found it to be in flagrant breach of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s own Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022, and the Labour Party Constitution.”
Mohammed deposed that: “The defendant (INEC) cannot accept and issue access code for upload of candidates nomination forms EC9, EC9f and EC 9g for the bye-election scheduled for 16/8/2025 to plaintiff (Abure-led LP) as there were no valid National Chairman and National Secretary for defendants (LP), to deal with as provided in exhibit INEC 2.”
On the issue of the Nnewi Convention purportedly held by Abure, INEC affirmed that it neither monitored nor recognised the controversial March 27, 2024 ‘national convention’ in Anambra State where Abure claimed he was re-elected.
The Commission described the entire exercise as being “conducted in breach of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s own guidelines, and the Labour Party’s constitution.”
INEC also referenced the Supreme Court’s April 4, 2025 judgment (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which struck out the suit underpinning Abure’s claims for lack of jurisdiction, effectively nullifying all prior rulings that had purportedly affirmed his leadership.
In a swift reaction, Nenadi Usman, interim national chairman of the Labour Party, commended INEC for what she described as “the clarity, courage, and institutional integrity” reflected in its position.
According to her, “I received with profound relief and deep satisfaction the news of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, which today dismissed in its entirety the case instituted by Mr. Julius Abure against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
She said the decision stands as yet another unambiguous and authoritative affirmation of the rule of law and the judiciary’s steadfast consistency in upholding the binding pronouncements of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
She noted that the latest judgment aligns squarely with the earlier decision of the Supreme Court, delivered on 4 April 2025 in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025, which unequivocally nullified all previous recognitions of Abure’s purported leadership of the Labour Party.
“In its wisdom – and in strict adherence to the Supreme Court’s final pronouncement – the Federal High Court in Abuja rightly struck out the originating suit for want of jurisdiction.
“That decision of the apex court remains binding on all persons and authorities in Nigeria pursuant to Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This unequivocal position, rendered under oath by the nation’s electoral umpire before a competent court of law, removes all lingering doubts and reinforces the imperative for every member, officer, and stakeholder of our great party to submit, at all times, to the supremacy of our Constitution and the dictates of the rule of law.
“With this judgment – and INEC’s clear, unambiguous stance – it is time for all members of the Labour Party to put this needless distraction behind us and to recommit ourselves to the urgent task of rebuilding and repositioning our party into the credible, disciplined, and people-centred political movement that Nigerians deserve.”
Usman assured party faithful that under her leadership as interim national chairman, she remains unwavering in her commitment to ensuring strict compliance with the party’s constitution, entrenching transparent internal democratic processes and restoring unity, discipline, and shared purpose as LP prepares for the political contests ahead.
