By Peter Omopo
The Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has reaffirmed that Julius Abure remains the party’s National Chairman, with his tenure set to run until 2028, dismissing claims to the contrary.
In a statement on Tuesday, signed by Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications, Aju Elumelu-James, the party said clarification was necessary following a “flurry of conflicting narratives” about Abure’s leadership. The statement emphasized that ongoing court proceedings do not justify spreading misinformation about the party’s constitutional leadership.
The statement outlined that after the death of former National Chairman Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam in December 2020, Deputy National Chairman Maria Lebeke acted as chairman and convened a National Executive Council meeting. Julius Abure was unanimously elected on March 29, 2021, to complete the late chairman’s tenure. Prior to the expiration of that tenure in June 2023, the NEC extended it by one year.
A National Convention held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi elected the current leadership, setting Abure’s tenure to run until 2028. The faction described claims that his tenure had expired as “fallacious, misleading, and mischievous.”
The statement further clarified the Supreme Court’s position, noting that the court did not rule on the validity of Abure’s tenure or the Nnewi convention, but only affirmed that political party leadership disputes are internal matters beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
The Abure-led faction urged party members and the public to rely on verifiable constitutional facts and disregard misinformation, stressing that only the party’s recognized organs—the National Working Committee, National Executive Council, and National Convention—have authority over leadership matters.
The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions in the party, following a January Federal High Court ruling that sacked Abure and recognized a caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman, as well as recent allegations of an invasion of the party secretariat by Abure’s supporters.
