INEC has no powers to deregister political parties – Labour Party tells Usman

The Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacked the powers to deregister any [political party in the country.

Mr Obiora Ifoh, National Secretary of the party made this known in a statement in Abuja.

He said the attention of the party’s leadership had been drawn to a statement issued by Sen. Nenadi Usman, who he said was a PDP member regarding the intervention of INEC in the party’s affairs.

He quoted Usman, an ex-minister of finance, as saying that the intervention of some leaders of the party at the September 4, 2024 at a meeting in Umuahia saved the party from being deregistered by INEC.

“The Labour Party leadership wishes to refute that statement as ludicrous and unsubstantiated .

“We wish to state emphatically that the Labour Party is in a good shape at the moment, having fully abided by the laws of the land and therefore cannot be deregistered by INEC.

“These leaders have also mischievously leveraged on INEC’s misinformed and erroneous disposition that the tenure of the party’s current executives has expired.

“It is paradoxical that some of these leaders who were victims of INEC’s mismanagement of the 2023 general election are now the ones quoting INEC, in order to victimise the leadership of the Labour Party,” Ifoh said.

He maintained that the September 4 Stakeholders meeting was unconstitutional and illegal as the party’s constitution clearly stated all the organs of the party which have powers to organise such a meeting.

“Sen. Nenadi’s claim that the stakeholders saved the party from being deregistered by the INEC is equally preposterous.

“This is because the existence of the Labour Party is not under any threat. Perhaps, Nenadi Usman is not aware that Appeal Courts both in Edo and FCT have affirmed Julius Abure as the rightful National Chairman of the party.

“She is probably unaware that a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice J.K Omotosho had also declared that the national convention of the party held in Nnewi on the March 26, 2024 is valid.

‘Even the Supreme Court in several judgements had ruled that issues regarding delegates at a National Convention or how the convention is planned and executed by a political party are internal affairs of a party.

“We also contend that the allegations that the Labour Party did not meet the 21 days required notice to INEC to conduct the convention, has since been laid to rest by Justice Omotosho”, he said.

Ifoh said the leadership of the party was aware of the moves to shop for courts in Abia that would be willing to facilitate the Umuahia group to carry out their activities.

“We advise the stakeholders to stop dissipating energy in forum-shopping particularly with a court that lacks territorial jurisdiction.

“It is laughable because, both INEC and Labour Party have their headquarters in Abuja and the stakeholders are shopping for a court in Aba, where they hope to get political patronage. We urge them to seek proper counsel.

“Finally, we urge Senator Usman and her co-travellers to retrace their steps for the interest of the party and Nigerians as 2027 is fast approaching.

“We want to remind them that factionalising the party will help no ones interest,” Ifoh said.