BREAKING: Court Recognises Abure As Labour Party’s National Chairman, Gives Fresh Order to INEC

• Julius Abure, the embattled national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has emerged victorious at the Federal High Court in Abuja
• The court on Tuesday ruled on LP's leadership tussle, in favour of Abure and his executive members
• In a ruling delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, the court ordered INEC to recognise Abure as the Labour Party national chairman

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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The Federal High Court, Abuja division, on Tuesday, October 8, declared the Labour Party (LP) 2024 national convention valid and compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Julius Abure's led executive.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, the court further compelled INEC, to grant due recognition and all privileges to the Labour Party's National Working Committee as led by Barrister Julius Abure.

Obiora Ifoh, the national publicity secretary of the Labour Party, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, October 8.

Why Labour Party is embroiled in crisis

Recall that the leadership crisis within the Labour Party took a fresh twist as INEC confirmed that Julius Abure’s tenure as national chairman ended in June 2024.

INEC’s response followed the Labour Party’s legal challenge regarding its exclusion from the commission’s training for party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

The commission invalidated the Labour Party's leadership, including the results of its March 2024 national convention, citing violations of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

This was after Abure was suspended by the Edo State Executive Committee in May 2024.

Read more about Labour Party crisis here:

• LP in fresh crisis as 2014 excos demand implementation of consent judgement
• LP crisis deepens: Peter Obi finally responds to Abure's move to strip him of 2027 ticket
• Labour Party crisis deepens as faction asks EFCC to probe Peter Obi, Aisha Yesufu

Peter Obi’s ally Balami dumps Labour Party

In another report, an aviation expert and youth activist, Comrade Isaac Balami, dumped the LP and returned to his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Balami, a former national deputy campaign manager for Obi/Datti in the 2023 presidential election, announced his decision at a media parley in Abuja.

Balami recalled why he dumped the APC ahead of the last presidential elections. He stated that it was only reasonable to revisit his decisions after the mess he encountered in the LP.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.