Benin City, Nigeria – The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party has dismissed the purported suspension of its national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, by the executives of Ward 3, in Arue-Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government, describing it as fraudulent.
The controversy erupted following reports that the State Working Committee had ratified the suspension of Barrister Abure late on Friday, May 24, 2024. However, the Labour Party’s NWC, on Saturday, May 25, 2024, firmly rebutted these claims, asserting that no such suspension had taken place.
In a statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, it was emphasized that Thompson Ehiguese, the chairman of Ward 3, Arue-Uromi, does not possess the constitutional authority to suspend or remove the national chairman. Ifoh pointed out that Ehiguese had appeared in a viral video debunking the suspension and reaffirming his loyalty to Abure. Ehiguese highlighted that the ward leadership recognizes its lack of power to take such actions against the national chairman.
Ifoh further underscored the party’s constitutional provisions, stating, “The ward, local government, or even the state do not have the powers under the constitution to suspend the national chairman.” He cited a ruling by the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, dated August 14, 2023. In that ruling, Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua affirmed that the National Chairman of the Labour Party cannot be suspended or removed by the Ward executive, corroborating the judgment of a lower court.
The Labour Party leadership has announced an investigation into the source of the alleged suspension letter and pledged to discipline any party officer found guilty of violating party rules. The NWC’s firm stance aims to maintain party unity and uphold the constitutional processes within the Labour Party.
