Lucky Obukohwo ReportingÂ
An Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin- City has dismissed the notice of suspension issued against the National Chairman, Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure by some group of individuals in Ward Executives.
The action, filed by Bar. Abure and some of the executives of the Ward 3 in Esan North East of Edo State challenged the actions of some elements who purportedly suspended the national chairman of the party.
In his judgement which lasted for about two hours, Justice Emmanuel Okey Aihamoje said the party’s ward executive in Uromi in Ward 3 lacks the power under the Labour Party Constitutional, particularly Art.13 & 17 and the Electoral Act 2022 as amended to remove the national chairman of the party.
The judge in Suit No: HUC/21/2023 went ahead to impose a perpetual injunction against Lamidi Apapa and his cohorts and any other residents or faction from removing or suspending Julius Abure as the National chairman until the national convention of the party is convened.
Justice Aihamoje further stated that the purported wards 3 executives who suspended the national chairman of the party acted outside the powers vested on it by the Labour Party Constitution
The Ward 3 Labour Party Chairman in Arueh Uromi, Comrade Thompson Ehiguese told newsmen at the court premises that the judgement has put an end on those who are masquerading themselves as members of the Labour Party in the ward.” These charlatans claiming to be members of our party are from Edo North and members of APC” he said
Comrade Ehiguese further said that “I want to use this medium to congratulate the Labour Party and the Obedient Movement that stood firmly with Julius Abure while the sponsored crisis in our great party lasted.
“The judgement is explicitly clear that Julius Abure remains the national Chairman until the party holds its convention next year.
“Nothing can change our collective resolve to reclaim the Nigerian masses’ mandate freely given to Mr Peter Obi and the party in the last Presidential election.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin,
Bar. President Aigbokhan, one of the lead counsels to the Labour Party and Julius Abure said that “this landmark judgement will stand the test of time. Any decision taken on the void notice of suspension falls effortlessly”.
He added, “The Court in his decision emphasized that the roles of wards executive in Labour Party does not include the suspension of national officers of the party.”
Edo State Labour Party Chairman, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi said Labour Party is vindicated and the court has spoken through its erudite justice, Hon. Justice Emmanuel Okey Aihamoje and this confirmed what we told the Nigerian public from the beginning that Apapa and his cohorts are common tragic power seekers.
“Apapa who before then was a deputy national chairman and a custodian of the constitution of the party knew that the act of those who came to Abuja to announce the suspension of the national chairman was not doing so legally, since the action was an aberration to the provisions of the party’s constitution, instead he ran to the court, seeking an ex-parte motion to restrain the national chairman.
“Today they have been told squarely that the charade can no longer be entertained by the court”, Comrade Ogbaloi said.