The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party has dismissed the reported 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 fake.
InfoStride News reported that the State Working Committee had ratified the purported suspension on Friday, May 24, 2024, in Benin City.
However, in a statement dated May 25, 2024, and signed by the national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the NWC asserted that Abure remains in his position.
Ifoh emphasized that the ward chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, lacks the constitutional authority to suspend or remove the national chairman.
Ifoh further stated that Ehiguese, in a viral video, denied the suspension, reaffirming the ward’s loyalty to Abure and acknowledging their lack of power to take such an action.
“The ward, local government, or even the state have no powers under the constitution to suspend the national chairman,” Ifoh said.
He referenced a ruling by the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, on August 14, 2023, where Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua confirmed that the National Chairman of the Labour Party cannot be suspended or removed by the ward executive.
The NWC stated that it is investigating the source of the purported suspension letter and will take disciplinary action against any party officer found guilty of contravening party rules.
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