The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distanced itself from a convention organized by the Labour Party's National Chairman, Julius Abure. This move comes amidst ongoing internal strife within the party.
The Labour Party faced turmoil in April 2023 when a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued an order preventing Abure from acting as the party's national chairman. Following the court's decision, Lamidi Apapa, the Deputy National Chairman, assumed the role of Acting National Chairman. However, Abure, with backing from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by National President Joe Ajaero, fought to reclaim his position.
On March 27, 2024, Abure's leadership convened a national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, during which he and his loyalists within the National Working Committee (NWC) were reinstated. Despite this, Abure's relationship with the NLC soured post-convention.
In an attempt to legitimize the convention, the Abure-led NWC sought a Certified True Copy of the convention document from INEC. However, INEC, in a letter dated July 18 and signed by Acting Secretary Haliru Aminu, stated that it could not provide a report on the convention as it had not monitored the event.
"The commission has received your request for the Certified True Copy of the monitored report of Labour Party convention at Nnewi, Anambra State, held on the 27th of March 2024, and the Labour Party constitution," the letter read. "Regrettably, the commission did not monitor the Labour Party Convention of 27th March 2024 and cannot therefore report on the convention."
In response, Labour Party's National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, clarified that INEC's inability to monitor the convention did not invalidate it. He urged party members to remain calm and dismissed claims that the convention had been rejected by INEC.
"INEC’s inability to monitor the convention did not in any way invalidate the internal party activity. INEC has also continued to respect the laws of the land despite pressure from certain quarters to compromise its civic responsibility," Ifoh stated. "At no time did INEC say it had rejected the outcome of the convention of the Labour Party. We have since moved on from the very successful convention, and activities in the party have been frenzied with huge membership drives and other political events."
As the Labour Party navigates these internal conflicts, the focus remains on maintaining unity and progressing with its political agenda.
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