?Urges Police, INEC to enforce Supreme Court judgment

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly condemned the continued occupation of the Labour Party?s national chairmanship position by Mr. Julius Abure, ?despite a clear and final Supreme Court judgment dismissing his claims to the position?. HURIWA, in a statement issued on Friday, expressed deep concerns over what it described as Abure?s brazen defiance of the apex court?s ruling, and his actions to destabilize the Labour Party ? ?one of Nigeria?s few credible opposition platforms?.

The civil rights advocacy group stated that Nigeria?s democracy cannot thrive under a one-party system, and emphasized that constructive opposition, as represented by the Labour Party, must be safeguarded. It warned that Abure?s persistent claim to the Labour Party leadership, in spite of the Supreme Court?s decision, is a direct threat to the rule of law, democracy, and institutional integrity.

According to HURIWA, the Supreme Court?s judgment was explicit in its dismissal of Abure?s cross appeal seeking judicial validation of his claim to the national chairmanship. Rather than honourably stepping down in compliance with the judicial pronouncement, Abure has allegedly continued to hold on to power, while sowing confusion and divisions within the Labour Party.

HURIWA emphasized that such reckless disregard for the highest court of the land constitutes contempt of court and undermines the foundational principle of separation of powers in a constitutional democracy.

The group drew attention to the comments of Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who recently lamented the growing trend of political parties misinterpreting Supreme Court judgments for selfish gains. Ubani described the phenomenon as dangerous and warned that the deliberate misrepresentation of clear court orders undermines the integrity of the judiciary.

Ubani stated: ?Even when orders of court are unambiguous, parties deliberately misinterpret and misrepresent them, particularly those of the Supreme Court, rather than submitting to the authority and finality of these decisions. Despite a clear judicial pronouncement, the contending factions have continued to hold opposing positions, undermining the authority of the court?s decision.?

He urged the judiciary and the legal profession to act decisively by pursuing contempt proceedings against parties who misinterpret or defy court judgments. He also called for clearer consequential orders in judgments, ethical conduct by legal practitioners, and the active enforcement of judicial decisions.

HURIWA echoed Ubani?s concerns and called on the Nigeria Police Force to perform its constitutional role by removing Julius Abure from the Labour Party national secretariat and enforcing the Supreme Court?s decision. ?It is a matter of honour and law,? HURIWA stated. ?If the Nigeria Police truly operates under the law and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Police Act of 2020, then the enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment should be non-negotiable.?

HURIWA emphasized that the police should not act like ?a boys? brigade of the ruling APC,? and must immediately enforce the legal rights of the lawfully recognized Labour Party leadership, which is the Interim National Committee led by former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman. The rights group insisted that the legitimate leaders should be given unfettered access to the party structure.

Furthermore, HURIWA called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop acting in cowardice and assert its statutory supervisory role over political parties as enshrined in the Electoral Act. The group criticized INEC for enabling the confusion within the Labour Party through inaction and called for urgent intervention to prevent chaos from overtaking the internal workings of political parties in Nigeria.

HURIWA also called on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the original institutional promoter and founding stakeholder of the Labour Party, to rise up and reclaim its rightful oversight and leadership role within the party. ?The NLC owns a significant stake?up to 50 percent?in the Labour Party. It must not remain silent in the face of this lawlessness. If there are plans by the NLC to take back the party and reassert control grounded in the rule of law, HURIWA stands firmly in support,? the statement read.

The association decried Abure?s continued stay in office as symptomatic of a wider national malaise where individuals treat the Supreme Court with contempt and disregard, likening the situation to a ?banana republic? where even the highest court?s orders are openly flouted.

HURIWA concluded by warning that the continued undermining of constructive opposition politics and constitutional democracy in Nigeria cannot be tolerated. ?Enough is enough,? the rights group stated. ?We must respect the rule of law. The Supreme Court has spoken, and its judgment must be obeyed.?

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