Labour Party Insists Abure’s Tenure Remains Valid Until 2028

In a statement issued by Hon. Amb. AJU Elumelu-James, Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications to the National Chairman, the party said recent claims questioning Abure’s legitimacy distort established constitutional and procedural facts.

The statement comes amid ongoing litigation at the Court of Appeal concerning the party’s leadership. However, the party maintained that the judicial process does not invalidate what it described as clear constitutional timelines and duly conducted party processes.

Emergence Following Abdulsalam’s Death

According to the clarification, the leadership transition began after the death of former National Chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, in December 2020.

On December 31, 2020, Maria Lebeke, then one of the Deputy National Chairmen, was appointed by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to serve as Acting National Chairman in line with the party’s constitution. She held the position for three months.
Subsequently, a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting was convened to fill the vacancy created by Abdulsalam’s death. At that meeting, held on March 29, 2021, Abure was unanimously elected to complete the late chairman’s tenure, which was originally scheduled to expire in June 2023.

Tenure Extension and 2024 Convention

Before the expiration of that tenure, the NEC held a meeting in Asaba in April 2023. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, Peter Obi, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.

At the meeting, the NEC resolved to extend the tenure of the existing leadership by one year, moving the expiration date to June 2024.

Before that extended tenure elapsed, the party held a National Convention on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, where the current leadership was elected. The party maintains that the outcome of the convention effectively reset Abure’s tenure, which it says will now run until 2028.

“It is fallacious, misleading, and mischievous to suggest that the tenure of Barrister Julius Abure has expired,” the statement said, stressing that the March 2024 convention produced a validly elected leadership.

Supreme Court Position

The party further clarified that the Supreme Court of Nigeria did not rule on the validity of the Nnewi convention or on Abure’s tenure. Rather, it held that issues concerning party leadership fall within the internal affairs of political parties and are generally outside the jurisdiction of the courts.

According to the statement, no court has set aside the Nnewi convention or declared Abure’s tenure expired.

The party emphasized that its recognized organs, the National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Council (NEC), and the National Convention remain the legitimate authorities empowered to make decisions regarding leadership and governance.

Reaffirming its position, the party said the National Convention “spoke clearly and decisively” on March 27, 2024, and that Abure’s tenure as National Chairman remains valid until 2028.