Why Abure Was Booted Out As Labour Party Chairman
Why Embattled Julius Abure Was Booted Out As LP Chairperson
Details have emerged on why the controversial National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP), led by Julius Abure, was removed. IMAGE NEWS reports that Abure and his NWC were ousted based on a 2018 court judgement and an agreement facilitated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to a resolution reached at a party meeting in Umuahia, Abia State. Abia State Governor, Alex Otti stated this in an interview monitored by IMAGE NEWS.
Recall that at the meeting, convened by Governor Otti of Abia on 6 Th September, the group resolved to dissolve the Abure-led NWC. In its stead, the stakeholders appointed a 29-member caretaker committee, headed by a former Minister of Finance, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman. Appointed as the Secretary of the Committeeis Senator Darlington Nwokocha.
Rather than accept the decision, Comrade Abure and his supporters have rejected the decision and opted to fight back. He described the leadership change as illegal.
The resolution at the Umuahia meeting which conveyed Abure’s removal cited the verdict of a judge, Gabriel Kolawole, on 20 March 2018. The verdict ordered the party to conduct an “all-inclusive national convention, preceded by Ward, LG, and State congresses” within a year.
According to a PREMIUM TIMES report, INEC subsequently brokered a settlement in 2022. In compliance with the judgement, the party agreed to conduct the congresses and national convention within a year but postponed it due to the 2023 general elections.
According to the Otti-led group, Mr Abure, in March 2024, held a convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, without complying with the court’s directive. They, therefore, stated that non-compliance with the court directive created a vacuum in the leadership of the party.
“You will recall that the Labour Party has had a leadership crisis in recent times, culminating in the de-recognition of the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC effective June 2024. This is subsequent to the settlement brokered by INEC on 27 June 2022.
“This settlement was founded on the consent court judgement by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on 20 March 2018. A major part of the settlement states that an all-inclusive national convention, preceded by Ward, LG, and State congresses, shall be convened not later than one year after signing the terms of settlement. Because of the 2023 election, the implementation of this agreement was deferred by one year to 2024.
By March 2024, the Abure-led NWC organised a convention in Nnewi without first organising Ward, LG, and State congresses. This fell short of the standards and the spirit of the terms of settlement as stated above. In light of all these, a leadership vacuum arose in the party. In a similar manner, the National Executive Committee membership got depleted, leaving fewer than ten members standing,” the resolution reads in part.
Composition of the caretaker committee
The 29-member caretaker committee comprises representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC), members from the National Assembly, members elected into state assemblies, governorship candidates in the last election, representatives of the Trade Union Congress, and others.
Members of the caretaker committee, tasked with midwifing a new leadership for the party within 18 months, include Abdulwaheed Omar, Theophilus Ndubuaku, Chris Uyot, Victor Umeh, Neda Imasuen, and Ireti Kingibe.
