Labour Party Chairmanship: Julius Abure Wins In Court

Comrade Julius Abure has been affirmed as the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

The affirmation follows the ruling of a Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, the Edo State capital in a suit with reference number CA/B/93/2023 filed by a chieftain of the party, Lucky Shaibu against Shaibu and five other officials of the party.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.

Naija News gathered that Justices Theresa Abadua, Fatima Akinbami, and Sybil Nwaka-Gbagi, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the case of the appellant.

It would be recalled that Shauibu, who claimed to be a member of LP of Ward 3 executive in Esan Northeast Local Government Area of Edo, spearheaded the suspension of Abure as the chairman of LP.

When the matter was taken to court, the High Court of Edo State ruled that one person could not suspend the national chairman of the Labour Party as contained in the party’s constitution.

Similarly, the appellate court in the lead judgment by Justice Abadua affirmed that the decision of the High Court is in line with Articles 13 and 17 of the constitution of the party, and the extant Electoral Act of 2022, adding that this is particularly the case when the appellant had been described by the party as unknown.

“The court unanimously nullified the earlier suspension and all actions taken against Comrade Julius Abure and the party arising from the purported suspension,” Ifoh noted in the statement.

Abure Reacts

The LP National Chairman in his reaction was said to have welcomed and commended the decision of the court. He also commended his legal team, led by G.C. Igbokwe, SAN, for a job well done.

He also appreciated the obidient movement as well as the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi for their support.

Abure was quoted to have said: “I thank the Obidient movement who tarry with me and Mr Peter Obi while the impostor Mr Lamidi Apapa and his adherents who tried to trade off the mandate freely given to the Labour Party with billions of Naira expended by his paymasters in the opposition parties”.

Igbokwe on his part, described the judgment as sound, courageous and unimpeachable.

He added that based on the judgment of the court, Abure remained the national chairman of LP, until the party would hold its convention.