Abure faction rejects Usman’s deregistration claims, INEC confirms NWC expiration

The embattled Labour Party leadership led by Julius Abure has rebuffed recent claims by the newly appointed caretaker committee (CTC) chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman. Usman had claimed that the party faced a risk of deregistration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senator Usman, while speaking at the inaugural meeting of the CTC, had indicated that the emergence of her committee had saved the party from deregistration harm hanging over it.

The central issue concerned the tenure of the National Working Committee (NWC), which expired on June 8, 2024. Since then, the INEC has deemed the leadership under Abure to be illegal. Stakeholders were alarmed when Abure was asked to leave an INEC meeting, and the party was not invited to a subsequent meeting in preparation for the September and November elections in Edo and Ondo states, respectively.

The issue prompted the caretaker arrangement by the stakeholders that saw the emergence of Usman and 29 other members.

The INEC recently confirmed the fears of the stakeholders when it asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to dismiss a suit filed by the Labour Party (LP) challenging its exclusion from a refresher training organised by the Commission for uploading party agents in the upcoming Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.

In a counter affidavit deposed to by Ayuba Mohammed, an executive officer in INEC’s Litigation and Prosecution Department, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, the electoral body maintained that based on its records, Abure’s tenure as the National Chairman of the LP, along with the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), expired in June 2024.

INEC claimed it did not monitor, participate in, or recognize the purported national convention of the party held on March 27 in Anambra State, where Abure claimed he was re-elected. The Commission argued that the convention was conducted in breach of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s regulations and guidelines for political parties 2022, and the LP’s constitution 2019.

Citing its regulations, INEC stated that it only deals with valid and subsisting national chairmen and secretaries of political parties in issuing notices and correspondence. As of August 16, 2024, when the refresher training notice was issued, the Commission asserted that the LP had no valid national chairman or secretary, as their tenure had elapsed in June 2024.

In a written address in support of the counter affidavit, INEC’s legal team, led by Tanko Inuwa, argued that the LP’s suit is seeking declaratory reliefs, which cannot be granted as a matter of course or based on mere admissions. They contended that the LP must succeed on the strength of its case, even in the face of admissions.

The Commission’s lawyers further submitted that having failed to comply with the extant legal frameworks in conducting its national convention, the party does not have a valid leadership that INEC could engage. They urged the court to dismiss the suit, insisting that the party was not entitled to the reliefs sought.

In a strongly worded press release, Obiora Ifoh, who claimed to be the National Publicity Secretary of the party, described Usman’s comments as “ludicrous, unattainable, unsubstantiated, and a pack of lies.”

He alleged that Senator Usman, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leader of a faction within the Labour Party, had stated that the party was saved from deregistration through the intervention of some leaders during a stakeholders’ meeting held on September 4, 2024, in Umuahia.

However, the Labour Party leadership refuted this claim, affirming that the party is in full compliance with Nigerian laws and is not in danger of deregistration by INEC.

“The Labour Party is in good shape at the moment, having fully abided by the laws of the land,” Ifoh asserted, stressing that the party’s existence is not threatened. He further criticised the claims made by Usman, pointing out that she is leveraging INEC’s erroneous belief that the tenure of the party’s current executives has expired.

The party also questioned the legitimacy of the September 4 stakeholders’ meeting, labelling it as “unconstitutional and illegal.” According to Ifoh, the Labour Party’s constitution does not recognize “stakeholders” as an official organ of the party, and the group led by Usman has “no foundation whatsoever.”

To reinforce their stance, the Labour Party cited recent legal victories, including rulings by an Appeal Court in Edo State and the Federal Capital Territory, which affirmed Julius Abure as the party’s rightful National Chairman. Additionally, Ifoh referenced a Federal High Court ruling by Justice J.K. Omotosho that declared the national convention held on March 26, 2024, in Nnewi valid and in compliance with both the 2022 Electoral Act and the Labour Party Constitution.

The Labour Party further dismissed concerns that it failed to meet the 21-day notice required by INEC for conducting the national convention. Ifoh stated that the matter had been settled, with the court confirming that the party’s notice to INEC exceeded the required timeframe as stipulated by the Electoral Act.

The statement also criticised Usman and her allies for allegedly attempting to pressure INEC into acting against the party’s interests and engaging in “forum shopping” for a court in Abia State that would favour their cause. Ifoh advised Usman to seek proper legal counsel, highlighting that the Labour Party and INEC are headquartered in Abuja, making attempts to involve a court in Aba jurisdictionally inappropriate.

In closing, Ifoh urged Senator Usman and her supporters to “retrace their steps” for the benefit of the party and the nation, particularly as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace. “Factionalising the party will help no one’s interest,” Ifoh warned, calling for unity within the party to move forward collectively.