Labour Party crafts new direction, set for ward, LG congresses

…Says congresses hold in all states except Abia

…Denies court order stopping Congresses

After almost one year in the limbo, the National Working Committee NWC of the Labour Party has announced that it is bouncing back with a declaration that its is ready to commence fresh congresses, right from the wards, local government and zonal levels.

The Julius Abure led National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party (LP), announced that the party met to ratify the party’s Nnewi convention and prepare grounds for congresses at ward, local government and state levels.

The party’s nationwide congresses kicked off Tuesday December 2 with the ward congresses, December 4, Local Government Area and December 6 in the states will go ahead as already notified INEC, police and other agencies. BusinessDay gathered that the NWC meeting which was attended by members of the National and State Working Committees from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, was monitored by Rakiya Dattijo of the Election and Party Monitoring (EPM), department of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

As part of new moves to reconcile the waring factions, the party also filled vacant positions in the NEC including the appointment of Abayomi Arabambi as the National Vice Chairman South West,

The Julius Abure led leadership had earlier expelled Arabambi from the party over alleged anti- party activities

They also elected Favour Reuben as the Assistant National Organizing Secretary, while Enu Kikanwa, was elected as the Assistant National Woman Leader South South.

The development offers new hope for the party, according to Baba Datti- Ahmed, who was the party’s Vice Presidential candidate, in the 2023 general election

Peter Obi, the party’s Presidential candidate in the 2023 election was however absent at the meeting

The presence of INEC was seen as positive development for the party, as INEC had previously shunned the party’s activities, over claims that the Julius Abure’s NWC had expired since, June, 2024.

In a communique signed by the Julius Abure and Faruk Ibrahim , the party’s National Secretary, the party resolved among other things to uphold the outcome of the 2024 Nnewi National Convention which NEC said was in line with the Supreme Court decision which vested the party powers to decide on its leadership as part of its internal affairs.

The communique said “NEC in session ratified the decision to hold Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses across the Federation.”

“The reason for the non-justiciability of internal disputes of a political party is simple, and that is that in the eyes of the law, a political party is a corporate entity with its constitution, rules, regulations, and guidelines which are binding on members who have joined freely have consented to be so bound (See Abegunde Vs. Ondo State House of Assembly & Ors. (2025) LPELR-24588 (SC), as declared by the Supreme Court.

“Political Parties have put in place diverse kinds of internal dispute resolution mechanisms to handle any matter arising from disputes among members.

Read also: Labour Party rifts deepen, cast shadow on Obi’s 2027 prospects

“Political parties and their members should therefore have faith in the internal dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed in their party constitution.

“Having subscribed to the membership of a Political party, a member of a Political party has by his membership agreed to be bound by the constitution and the decision of the party contained in its guidelines.

“ So the Politician must comply with the provisions of the party constitution on how disputes over the internal affairs of the party can be resolved in keeping with the legal doctrine that the internal affairs of a Political party are non-justiceable and therefore not subject to the judicial powers of the courts..”

The communique said “Consequent upon the above, NEC in session reaffirmed those elected as National officers of the Party at the National Convention held in 2024 in Anambra State on the 27th of March 2024.”

Those elected were the current 17 member National Working Committee which has Ibrahim Farouk as National Secretary, Chief Clement Ojukwu, Ayo Olorunfemi and Esther Gulmu (Deputy National Chairmen) and Obiora Ifoh as National Publicity Secretary among others.

The party’s NEC also mandated the National Chairman and Secretary to convene a Special Convention “if necessary”.

Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date