Julius Abure has said his tenure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party will run until 2028, dismissing claims that it has expired.

In a statement, his Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communication, Hon. Amb. AJU Elumelu-James, recounted how Abure rose to become LP national chairman.

Elumelu-James noted that the former national chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, passed away in December 2020, and on December 31, 2020, Maria Lebeke, who was one of the Deputy National Chairmen of the party, was appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC), in accordance with the party’s constitution, to serve in an acting capacity as national chairman.

He said Lebeke acted in that capacity for three months and thereafter, she convened a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, in line with the party’s constitution, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam.

He stated that at the NEC meeting on March 29, 2021, Abure was unanimously elected to complete the late chairman’s tenure, which was due to expire in June 2023.

“However, prior to the expiration of that tenure, a NEC meeting was held in Asaba in April 2023. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peter Obi, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other critical stakeholders of the party. At that meeting, the NEC resolved to extend the tenure of the existing leadership by one year.

“Before the expiration of that extended tenure in June 2024, a National Convention was held on 27 March 2024 in Nnewi, where the current leadership of the party was elected. Consequently, it is fallacious, misleading, and mischievous to continue to suggest that the tenure of Barr. Julius Abure has expired. In fact, following the March 2024 convention, his tenure is expected to run until 2028,” Elumelu-James said.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court did not delve into the issue of party leadership or the validity of the convention held in Nnewi. According to him, the Court merely held that matters concerning a political party’s leadership are internal affairs of that party and that the courts lack jurisdiction to entertain such disputes.

“At no time did any court set aside the Nnewi convention or declare that Barr. Julius Abure’s tenure had expired,” he said.

“When we speak of the ‘internal affairs’ of a political party, it means that only the recognised organs of the party have the authority to make decisions regarding its leadership and governance. In this case, those organs are the National Working Committee (NWC), the National Executive Council (NEC), and the National Convention.

“The National Convention spoke clearly and decisively on 27 March 2024 when it conducted its convention and elected the current leadership,” he said.