{{Short description|Nigerian lawyer and politician (born 1971)}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=September 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | caption = | office = National Chairman of the Labour Party | term_start = 2021 | term_end = - | successor = - | predecessor = Abdukadir Abdulsalam | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|6|24|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Labour Party }}
'''Julius Abure''' (born 24 June 1971)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://labourparty.com.ng/labour-party-celebrates-its-national-chairman-abure-at-52/|title=Labour Party Celebrates its National Chairman, Abure at 52|last=Ifoh|first=Obiora|publisher=Labour party|date=24 June 2023|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> is a Nigerian lawyer and politician, who served as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) from 2021 till date.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Ede | first=Ndidiamaka | title=Court sacks Julius Abure as Labour Party chair, names party's authentic leader |newspaper=Premium Times | date=2026-01-21 | url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/850977-court-sacks-julius-abure-as-labour-party-chair-names-partys-authentic-leader.html | access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=BREAKING: Supreme Court sacks Abure as Labour Party chairman |url=https://punchng.com/breaking-supreme-court-sacks-abure-as-labour-party-chairman/ |access-date=2025-04-04 |newspaper=The Punch|date=4 April 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Abure was previously the National Secretary of the Labour Party and also worked at the Edo State Reform Commission.<ref>{{cite news|last=Adeduyite|first=Okiki|date=27 March 2024|title=Abure controversially re-elected himself as LP national chairman|url=https://punchng.com/just-in-abure-re-elected-as-lp-national-chairman/|access-date=20 April 2024|newspaper=The Punch}}</ref>
==Career== Abure became the chairman of the Nigerian political party, Labour Party following the death of his predecessor Abdukadir Abdulsalam. He was elected by the Labour Party National Executive Council (NEC) in 2021, as he was the National Secretary of the party at the time.<ref>{{cite news|title=Appeal court affirms Julius Abure as Labour Party chairman|access-date=13 September 2024|url=https://guardian.ng/news/appeal-court-affirms-julius-abure-as-labour-party-chairman/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=15 August 2023|last=Opanuga|first=Jimisayo|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>
However, his chairmanship was challenged by some party members, especially Lamidi Apapa, the suspended deputy national chairman, who claimed to have removed Abure through a court order.<ref name="Whistler"/>
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin City, Edo State, affirmed Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party, dismissing the appeal filed by Lucky Shaibu, a party member who supported Apapa.<ref name="Whistler">{{cite news|title=Labour Party Gets New National Chairman|url=https://thewhistler.ng/labour-party-gets-new-national-chairman/|access-date=13 September 2024|last=Benneth|first=Joshua|date=29 March 2021|newspaper=The Whistler}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Julius Abure remains the national chairman of the Labour Party — NLC|date=24 May 2023|access-date=13 September 2024|url=https://businessday.ng/politics/article/julius-abure-remains-the-national-chairman-of-the-labour-party-nlc-president/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|last=Okojie|first=Kelvin|newspaper=BusinessDay}}</ref>
Abure has received the backing of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who both recognized him as the legitimate leader of the party.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Chairman of Labour Party is Barrister Julius Abure — Peter Obi|url=https://businessday.ng/politics/article/the-chairman-of-labour-party-is-barrister-julius-abure-peter-obi/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|last=Okojie|first=Kelvin|date=1 May 2023|access-date=13 September 2024|newspaper=BusinessDay}}</ref> The Supreme Court Abuja, recognised Mr. Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Meshioye |first=David |date=2025-04-04 |title=Supreme Court sacks Abure as Labour Party chairman |url=https://guardian.ng/news/supreme-court-sacks-abure-as-labour-party-chairman/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2025-04-04 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Controversy== On 21 February 2024, he was illegally arrested by the Edo State Police Command on allegations of attempted murder, among other alleged infractions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nairametrics.com/2024/02/21/police-arrest-lp-national-chairman-julius-abure-in-edo-state/|title= Police arrest LP National Chairman, Julius Abure in Edo State|last=Ademola|first=Cyrus|date=21 February 2024|access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2024/02/21/labour-partys-chairman-abure-arrested-in-edo/|title=Labour Party's Chairman Abure Arrested In Edo|agency=Channels TV|access-date=13 September 2024|date=21 February 2024}}</ref> The arrest followed a petition by the former LP Youth Leader Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia, who claimed that Abure orchestrated a violent attack on him and his colleague in December 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2024/02/21/breaking-lps-abure-arrested-for-attempted-murder-police/|title=LP's Abure Arrested For Attempted Murder — Police|agency=Channels TV|last=Oyero|first=Kayode|date=21 February 2024|access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref> He was released on 22 February 2024.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thecable.ng/just-in-police-release-julius-abure-hours-after-arrest-for-attempted-murder/|title=Just In: Police release Julius Abure — hours after arrest for 'attempted murder'|last=Sahabi|first=Ahmad|newspaper=TheCable|date=22 February 2024|access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2024/02/22/police-release-julius-abure-on-bail/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Police release Julius Abure on bail|date=22 February 2024|last=Dada|first=Paul|access-date=22 February 2024|newspaper=P.M. News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Labour Party chairman, Abure, others released|last=Sunday|first=Ochogwu|url=https://dailypost.ng/2024/02/22/labour-party-chairman-abure-others-released/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=22 February 2024|access-date=13 September 2024|newspaper=Daily Post}}</ref>
He also faced allegations of embezzlement of N3 billion belonging to the party, which was laid by the suspended National Treasurer of the party, Oluchi Opara.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=22 February 2024|url=https://leadership.ng/breaking-police-arrest-lp-national-chairman-abure-in-edo/|title=Updated: 48 Hours To Edo LP Gov'ship Primaries, Police Arrest National Chairman Over Petition|last=Ochoga|first=Patrick|date=21 February 2024|newspaper=Leadership}}</ref>
Julius was also accused of trying to disrupt the party's gubernatorial primaries in Edo State, which was scheduled to hold on Friday, 23 February 2024. Amongst all, He has been commended by some party members for his democratic style of leadership and transparency in the party's affairs.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abure, Julius}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Nigerian Law School alumni Category:Labour Party (Nigeria) politicians