INEC further declared that the leadership of the Labour Party, including Abure, is no longer valid. The electoral body also refused to acknowledge the party's National Convention, which took place in March 2024 and claimed to re-elect Abure as chairman. According to INEC, this convention violated the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, disqualifying the Labour Party from being considered for official engagement.

The commission emphasized that it only works with political parties that have legitimate and up-to-date leadership structures. INEC’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Tanko Inuwa, argued that the Labour Party’s claims for declaratory reliefs could not be granted based solely on admissions. The team maintained that the Labour Party must succeed based on the strength of its case, rather than relying on the admissions of its opponents.

INEC’s legal submission highlighted the party's failure to comply with legal frameworks in conducting its national convention, which ultimately rendered the Labour Party’s leadership invalid in the eyes of the electoral body. Consequently, INEC affirmed that it does not recognize Julius Abure or the party's leadership as of June 2024, meaning the Labour Party lacks the legitimate governance necessary for engagement with INEC.

This development places the Labour Party in a delicate position ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, as the leadership void may impact the party's ability to participate fully in the electoral process.