Appeal Court affirms Abure as LP national chairman

The Court of Appeal, Benin City, has affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed the development in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He added that the three member panel of the appellate court dismissed the suit filed by Mr. Lucky Shaibu against Abure and three other members of the LP national executive committee.

Shaibu and other members of the LP executive committee in Ward 3, Esan North East local government area of Edo State in March suspended Abure as the party’s chairman.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on April 5 restrained Abure and three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.

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The judge, who gave the order while ruling on an application filed by Shaibu and other members of the party, listed other affected officers as the LP National Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim, National Organizing Secretary, Mr. Clement Ojukwu and one other.

Other plaintiffs are – Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah and Dr. Ayobami Arabambi.

Justice Muazu later granted an order of stay execution on the suspension of the chairman in another ruling delivered on May 19.

The Edo State High Court aligned itself with the ruling in a judgement delivered on May 28 and declared Abure as the LP authentic national chairman.

In Monday’s proceeding, the appeal court affirmed the decision of the Edo State High Court and held that one man cannot suspend the LP national chairman in line with Articles 13 and 17 of the Constitution of the Party and the extant Electoral Act of 2022.