The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been requested by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to validate the Labour Party’s upcoming national convention in Abia State.
The electoral commission is mandated by statute to oversee a political party’s national convention.
The NLC, through its legal counsel Marshal Abubakar, claimed that the convention scheduled for March 27th is invalid in a letter to INEC Chairman Yakubu Mahmood.
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Furthermore, should the party proceed with the convention despite outstanding legal disputes, the NLC threatened to bring contempt charges against it in a separate letter to Kehinde Edun, LP’s national legal counsel.
The national chairman of the LP, Julius Abure, is engaged in a power battle with Joe Ajaero, the head of the NLC leadership.
According to the labour union, Mr. Abure and some of his allies intend to hold a national convention in Abia State with the cooperation of some employees of the electoral commission.
The Mewsmen cited two 2024 court decisions that declared the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), headed by Julius Abure, to be void.
NLC and other plaintiffs, who charged Mr. Abure with taking the party leadership position without authorization, succeeded in getting these rulings.
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The NLC and the Labour Party are among the plaintiffs in the case, along with other people like Salihu Mohammed, Lawson Osagie, Baba Aye, Ikpe Etokudo, Sylvester Ejiofor, Lucy Ofion, and Salamatu Aliyu. Mr. Abure and INEC are the designated defendants in the lawsuit.
“Given the foregoing, we are compelled to urge you to refrain yourself and properly advise your clients to desist from proceeding with the illegal national convention of the labour party scheduled for March 27, 2024.
“Upon failing, we shall institute contempt proceedings against you and the other defendants and report you to the disciplinary committee of the NBA,” the NLC threatened in the letter to the LP legal adviser.
Drawing the attention of the INEC chairman to the issue, the NLC advised the electoral umpire to restrain its officials “from undermining the due administration of justice and respect for rule of law by attending the illegal convention.”
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“…unless you comply with the foregoing request forthwith, we shall approach the Federal High Court and institute contempt proceedings against you.”
On March 6, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld Mr. Abure’s position as the party’s national chairman.
The ruling of the FCT High Court, which barred Mr. Abure and two other individuals from presenting themselves as national officers of the party, was also overturned by the appeal court in its ruling.
The NLC picketed the LP’s national office in Abuja on Tuesday. It was a component of the trade union’s effort to thwart the proposed convention.
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