The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, has been suspended from the party.

This decision came from Ward 3 in Arue-Uromi, located in the Esan North-East local government area of Edo State. Abure’s suspension is due to alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.

A letter of suspension dated May 14, 2024, was issued, followed by a letter of ratification on May 15, 2024. These letters were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee on Friday night in Benin, and Abure’s suspension is effective immediately.

The suspension letter, signed by Ward Chairman Thompson Ehiguese and Ward Secretary Stanley Usiomoh, advised Abure “to restrain from holding out or parading himself as a member of Labour Party, Ward 3, Arue, Uromi in Esan North-East LGA, Edo State.”

The ratification letter was forwarded to the State Executive Committee by the Local Government Chairman of the party in Esan North-East, Patrick Onogbeni, and LGA Secretary, Ehikioya Eromosele. The letter reads:

“Here forwarded to you and for your consideration is the ratification of the suspension of Comrade Barrister Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North-East LGA, Edo State. The LGA Executive met on the 15th of May, 2024 about 12 noon, to consider the matters presented on the suspension and accordingly found them weighty and the suspension ratified and upheld.”

The State Executive Committee, led by Kelly Ogbaloi, endorsed the decisions made by the ward and local government committee on Friday. The meeting venue was charged with energy as leaders and members of the party chanted: “Abure must go!”

The State Executive Committee considered the letters and the issues they contained, and ultimately ratified Abure’s suspension.