INEC absence didn’t invalidate LP convention – Abure

The leadership of the Labour Party has defended the validity of its March 27, 2024 convention, saying that the absence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission at the event does not in any way invalidate the election that returned its National Chairman, Julius Abure and members of the National Working Committee to office.

This was stated on Wednesday by the National Legal Adviser of the LP, Kehinde Edun, at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

Edun’s statement came three days after the electoral commission announced that none of its officials attended or monitored proceedings at the disputed convention held at Nnewi, Anambra State.

In the past four months, Abure had been at loggerheads with the Nigeria Labour Congress over the legitimacy of his re-election.

The party’s internal rift remained unresolved as the NLC and its stakeholders continued to distance themselves from the current NWC of the party.

The situation escalated further when the INEC responded to a request by a lawyer for a Certified True Copy of its report on the convention and the party’s constitution.

In the letter referenced INEC/DEPM/LP/CTC/885/1, dated July 18 and signed by the Acting Secretary, Haliru Aminu, the commission declared that it could not report on the convention because it did not monitor it.

The letter, which was sighted by The PUNCH, partly read: “The commission has received your request for the Certified True Copy of the monitored report of the Labour Party convention at Nnewi, Anambra State, held on the 27th of March 2024, and the Labour Party constitution.

“The Certified True Copy of the Labour Party Constitution has been forwarded to your firm earlier.

“Regrettably, the commission did not monitor the Labour Party convention of 27th March 2024 and cannot, therefore, report on the convention.”

The position of the electoral umpire had since led to a chain reaction, with the NLC insisting that it had been vindicated.

But, addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Edun said the INEC letter was wrongly interpreted.

According to the national legal adviser, the presence or absence of INEC officials did not in any way affect the legitimacy of the national convention.

He said, “On the deliberate misinterpretation of the INEC’s reply to an application by Messr Steve Adehi, SAN & Co, this letter is very clear and unambiguous and shouldn’t have been the subject of any argument.

“However, not finding anything to hold against us, they went to import what is not contained in the letter into it.

“The applicant (an agent of the NLC) requested for CTC of the INEC-monitored report of the Labour Party convention 2024 and the constitution. Though the applicant and his principal were dishonest, mischievous, dubious and manipulative, INEC’s response was accurate and unpretentious.

“How on earth could there be an INEC-monitored report when we have made it clear that INEC did not attend, a position also confirmed by INEC and is in the public domain? The NLC and its cronies, including the applicant, knew INEC didn’t attend. Why then ask for the INEC report and what is their business with it?

“In paragraph 3 of the INEC’s response, the commission expressed regret that it did not monitor the convention and could, therefore, not have an INEC-monitored report. Now, did the non-attendance of INEC invalidate the convention? The answer is capital no and INEC never said so.

“The law did not make it mandatory for INEC to attend any party’s convention. INEC knew they were at liberty to come or not. What the law requires is proper notice. Take note that the law did not say the failure of INEC to attend shall render the convention invalid. What then is the essence of the dishonest, dubious and misconceived hue and cry by the NLC?”

The party’s legal counsel said it would not be intimidated or cowed by any external aggressor to fold its hands and watch the party being hijacked.