The Labour Party’s National Working Committee has declared the suspension of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, by the Edo State chapter as “illegal” and “unconstitutional”.
This comes amid internal disputes within the party that led to Abure’s suspension by his local ward in Esan North-East Local Government, Edo State.
The controversy began with a letter dated May 14, 2024, and a subsequent ratification on May 15, 2024, in which Abure was suspended for alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.
However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that the Edo State chapter acted without proper authority, as the party’s constitution requires a national convention with a two-thirds majority to suspend or remove the national chairman, according to NaijaNews.
The NWC’s statement, issued in Abuja on Saturday, emphasized that the suspension is null and void, and Abure remains the legitimate National Chairman of the Labour Party.
This development highlights the internal power struggles within the party and raises questions about the legitimacy of the Edo State chapter’s actions.
“The actions taken by the ward, local government, or even the state level do not legally hold the capacity to suspend the National Chairman,” Ifoh explained.
He also referenced previous rulings from both the Edo High Court and the Appeal Court which support this constitutional framework, reinforcing the national body’s stance against the state chapter’s decision.
Ifoh said the LP NWC had advised Abure to disregard the suspension and continue his duties, assuring that this attempt to undermine his position would be fruitless.
“This dimension is a continuation of the attack on the person of Abure as witnessed during the governorship primaries,” Ifoh added.
