The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Monday affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, amidst the ongoing crisis that has continued to rock the opposition party.
This was made known in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.
In a unanimous decision yesterday, the three-member panel of justices dismissed the appeal of the appellant.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that the plaintiff, Lucky Shauibu, said to be a member of the Labour Party in Ward 3 Executive in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, suspended Abure.
In the 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.
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See the full statement below:
PRESS RELEASE
Court Of Appeal Affirms Abure As The National Chairman Of Labour Party
COURT of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State capital has affirmed Comrade Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of Labour Party. In the case of Mr. Lucky Shaibu v. Julius Abure & 5 ORS (Appeal No: CA/B/93/2023), His Lordships Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji Abadua JCA, Fatima Omoro Akinbami JCA and Hon. Justice Sybil O. Nwaka-Gbagi JCA 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 his lead judgment Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji Abadua JCA, 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 judgment, Comrade Julius Abure eulogized the judgment and team of justices who refused to close their eyes to the justice of the case. He also thanked the team of selfless lawyers led by GC Igbokwe, SAN.
Comrade Julius Abure added “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”.
GC Igbokwe, SAN the counsel to Comrade Julius Abure applauded the judgment describing it as sound, courageous and unimpeachable, reinstated that Comrade Julius Abure, Esq remains the national chairman of Labour Party until the party convention holds.
Prest Aigbokhan, Esq lead counsel to Labour Party said the decision of the Court of Appeal has given a rest to 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 watchdog of national conscience.
SIGN
Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party