By Oseme Whiskey
An Edo State High Court has dismissed the notice of suspension issued against the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, by some party members at the ward level.
Ruling on Friday, Justice Emmanuel Aihamoje said the case lacked merit, according to a statement by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh.
Ifoh also confirmed that the action was filed by Abure and the executives of LP Ward 3 in Esan North East of Edo State.
In his judgement, which lasted nearly two hours, Aihamoje ruled that the party ward executives in Uromi Ward 3 lacked the power under the Labour Party Constitution, particularly Acts 13 and 17 and the Electoral Act 2022, as amended to remove the national chairman of the party.
The judge, therefore, imposed a perpetual injunction against Lamidi Apapa and his faction from removing or suspending Abure as the national chairman until a new national convention of the party is convened.
Aihamoje further stated that the Ward 3 executives who suspended Abure acted outside the powers vested in them by the LP Constitution.
Reacting to the ruling, LP Ward 3 Chairman, Thompson Ehiguese, told journalists at the court premises that the judgement had put an end to impostors who are masquerading as members of the Labour Party in the ward.
He said, “These charlatans claiming to be members of our party are from Edo North and members of APC. I want to use this medium to congratulate the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement that stood firmly with Comrade Julius Abure while the sponsored crisis in our great party lasted.
“The judgement is explicitly clear that Barrister Julius Abure remains the national chairman until the party convention holds 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.”
On his part, Edo State LP Chairman, Kelly Ogbaloi, said that the party had been vindicated.
