“Abure’s Tenure Expired, He Must Stop Parading as Chairman” – BoT Secretary

The Labour Party’s caretaker committee has called on Julius Abure to stop presenting himself as the party’s national chairman, citing the expiration of his tenure on June 9, 2024. This announcement was made during a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, led by Salisu Mohammed, Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT), as part of efforts to address what he described as “Abure’s illegality and corruption.”

According to Mohammed, the decision came after a stakeholder meeting held in Umuahia, which was convened by the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee. He emphasized that the committee was both legitimate and lawfully constituted. Mohammed stated that the National Transitional Committee (NTC) has been actively working to engage relevant stakeholders and restore order within the party.

He further alleged that Abure had led the party without a proper election since assuming office following the death of the former chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, in 2000. According to Mohammed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had instructed Abure to vacate his position, an order he allegedly ignored.

“The NTC’s efforts have led to the convening of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Umuahia, where critical decisions were made,” Mohammed said. He added that the 29-member caretaker committee was set up to oversee the transition and organize democratic congresses at the ward, local government, state, and national levels.

The NEC meeting, which took place on September 4, 2024, was reportedly organized by Governor Alex Otti, and Mohammed called it a crucial step toward saving the party from “illegalities” and “political contractors” intent on undermining the party’s integrity.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), a key trustee of the Labour Party, is said to be backing these reforms, with Mohammed emphasizing that the intervention aligns with the democratic aspirations of Nigerians who want to see the party thrive.