By Musa Baba Adamu
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) says it is illegal and unconstitutional for Julius Abure to continue parading himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, (LP).
The electoral body said it no longer recognises Abure or other members of the party’s national working committee, as their tenures expired in June 2024.
This is contained in a counter-affidavit, INEC filed in response to a suit brought by the Labour Party challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
The Commission argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Abure, is now invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention, which purportedly re-elected Abure as chairman.
It maintained that the convention contravened both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, stressing that it only deals with parties that have legitimate leadership in place.
According to a written submission supporting the counter affidavit, INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, SAN, stated that the Labour Party’s suit seeks declaratory reliefs, which cannot be granted merely by admission.
They argued that the Labour Party must prove its case, even with the admissions presented.
The INEC’s lawyers added that, due to the Labour Party’s failure to adhere to the legal requirements in holding its national convention, the party no longer has a valid leadership with which INEC can engage.
They prayed the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the Labour Party is not entitled to the reliefs it is seeking.
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