Abure: NLC tells INEC not to validate LP national convention, says it’s illegal

By Jude Opara, Abuja

Even as the opposition Labour Party (LP) insisted on holding its convention this week in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to validate the convention scheduled for March 27, 2024
.The NLC issued the caution in a letter addressed to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
In the letter by the NLC’s solicitors, Falana and Falana’s Chambers, dated March 22, 2024, the labour union accused the LP Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure and his associates of planning an illegal convention despite a court order.
NLC noted that such a national convention was illegal due to standing court rulings that declared the LP’s status and ordered inclusive conventions.
in the letter signed by Marshal Abubakar, the NLC threatened legal action if INEC goes ahead to validate the controversial convention.
The letter titled, “Request To Desist From Validating The Illegal Labour Party National Convention Scheduled For March 27, 2024 ,” reads, “We are solicitors to the Nigeria Labour Congress, on whose behalf we write this letter.
“It has come to our notice that Mr Julius Abure, the Chairman of the Labour Party, and a handful of his supporters are planning to hold a national convention of the Labour Party on March 27, 2024
, at Abia, Abia State, with the active connivance of some officials of the commission under your able leadership.
“As you are no doubt aware, a national convention conducted by the Abure faction will be violative of the judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/866/2014 between Labour Party and 3 Ors. vs. Com. Salisu Muhammed, where the court had declared the Labour Party as ‘an institutional political party founded, promoted, and registered by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on behalf of the Nigerian Workers’, and thus ordered the factions to ‘convene an expansive and inclusive national convention of the party.’ Please find attached a CTC of the judgment”.