NLC Rejects Julius Abure As Labour Party Chairman Despite Court Order

Julius Abure

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has again rejected the leadership of Julius Abure of the Labour Party (LP), stating that the ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court will not alter their stance.

Recall that on October 8, 2024, Justice Emeka Nwite, validated the Labour Party’s national convention held in Nnewi in March 2024.

The court declared the convention lawful and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the leadership of Abure and the National Working Committee (NWC) elected during the event.

Following the court directive, INEC officially recognized the Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

INEC’s decision to recognise Abure was disclosed in a letter addressed to Abure and the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim.

INEC’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, invited the Labour Party to participate in its fourth consultative meeting with political parties.

However, in a statement issued on Thursday, Theophilus Ndubuaku, acting chairman of the NLC Political Commission, criticized Abure’s leadership, accusing him of undermining the party’s stability ahead of upcoming elections.

Ndubuaku described the court’s ruling as a “gross miscarriage of justice,” pointing out that the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) – both constitutionally recognized in the party’s structure – were not part of the legal proceedings.

“The NLC Political Commission sees the judgment as another act of desperation and deceit by Julius Abure and his group, whose only aim is to exploit the Labour Party’s goodwill for personal gain,” Ndubuaku stated.

He further accused Abure of working for external interests aimed at sabotaging the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ndubuaku expressed disappointment over the court’s support for the Nnewi convention, which he claims was conducted in violation of party rules and previous court orders.

He also questioned why the NLC and TUC were excluded from the legal processes.

Ndubuaku said, “The NLC Political Commission views the judgement as another act of desperation and subterfuge by Mr. Julius Abure and his motley of hangers-on merchants who have no other job than to leech and parasitise on the goodwill of the Labour Party in furtherance of their pecuniary interest.

“It is unfortunate that by adopting mischievous and clandestine approach to the judiciary, Mr. Julius Abure and his ilk who are certainly in the employment of entrenched interests bent on sabotaging and destabilising the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 general election have continued to pull the wool over the eyes of our justice system.

“We perceive the Justice Omotosho judgement and now the Justice Emeka Nwite’s judgment that appear to give some veneer of legitimacy to the expired leadership of Mr. Julius Abure by venerating the widely vilified Nnewi Convention of the Labour Party illegally conducted by Mr. Abure in violation of extant court judgements, provisions of the Labour Party Constitution and INEC supervised terms of settlement as a gross miscarriage of justice.

“Our position is formed on legal and moral grounds. It is queer that the Nigeria Labour Congress which together with the Trade Union Congress are the only statutory bodies recognised in the Labour Party Constitution were not joined as parties to the two court processes filed by Mr. Abure.”

He noted that Abure failed to honor an agreement made between the National Working Committee (NWC) and the party’s Board of Trustees in April 2022, which was overseen by INEC.

The agreement stipulated that Abure’s term as National Secretary, following the death of the previous chairman, would end in June this year, after which a convention would elect new leadership.

Ndubuaku added that, in line with the agreement, stakeholders had appointed Senator Esther Nenadi Usman to lead an Interim Caretaker Committee.

The NLC Political Commission supports the Labour Party Interim National Caretaker Committee’s plan to appeal the recent court rulings.

He reassured Labour Party members not to lose hope, labeling Abure and his associates as “errand boys” for a political entity opposed to the Labour Party’s interests.

He expressed confidence that the forces undermining democracy would eventually be exposed, and the will of the people would prevail.

“No matter how many court rulings there are, Julius Abure will never be accepted as the leader by Labour Party members. The fight for justice and democracy will continue, and the people’s will shall triumph,” Ndubuaku concluded.