The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to acknowledge Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, even though his name remains listed on its website among the political party chairmen.
This latest development is outlined in a counter-affidavit submitted to the Federal High Court in Abuja, addressing the Labour Party’s lawsuit that contests its exclusion from INEC’s refresher training for uploading party agents in preparation for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. INEC asserted in the document that Abure’s term as the National Chairman of the Labour Party will conclude in June 2024. The Labour Party has been embroiled in a new leadership conflict since June of this year, when a congress in Anambra state extended the tenure of the executive led by Julius Abure.
The results of that congress have raised concerns among several members of the party, including former deputy chairman Callistus Okafor, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and the 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi. The three recently convened a national congress in an effort to address the ongoing impasse.
