The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State capital has affirmed Comrade Barrister Julius Abure as the national chairman of Labour Party (LP).
In the case of Mr. Lucky Shaibu v. Julius Abure & 5 ORS (Appeal No: CA/B/93/2023), Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji Abadua JCA, Fatima Omoro Akinbami JCA and Justice Sybil O. Nwaka-Gbagi in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeal of the appellant.
It will be recalled that one Lucky Shauibu who claimed to be a member of Labour Party in Ward 3 Executive in Esan North East local government area of Edo State suspended the chairman of Labour Party.
In her lead judgement, Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji Abadua, affirmed the decision of the High Court of Edo State and held that one man cannot suspend the national chairman of Labour Party in line with Article 13 and 17 of the Constitution of the party and the extant Electoral Act of 2022, particularly when the appellant has 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.
In a swift reaction to the judgement, Comrade Julius Abure hailed the judgement and team of justices who refused to close their eyes to the justice of the case. He also thanked the team of lawyers led by GC Igbokwe (SAN).
Abure 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 (counsel to Abure) applauded the judgement, describing it as sound, courageous and unimpeachable.
He reiterated that Abure remains the national chairman of the Labour Party until the party convention is held.
Prest Aigbokhan, the lead counsel to the Labour Party, said the decision of the Court of Appeal had laid to rest the battle for the soul of the party.
According to him, “It is a landmark judgement that will stand the test of time. Anybody still associating with impostors parading themselves as factional leaders of the party does so at their own peril. Political parties must remain the watchdog of national conscience.
