JUST IN: Abure Floors Apapa As Appeal Court Affirms Him Labour Party National Chairman

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, set aside a Federal Capital Territory High Court decision which restrained Mr. Julius Abure from parading himself as the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party, (LP).

THE WHISTLER recalls that Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court had restrained Mr. Abure from acting as LP’s national chairman following a suit instituted by eight aggrieved members of the party loyal to Lamidi Apapa – the self proclaimed factional chairman of the party.

The suit marked CV/2930/2023 was brought by Mr. Martins Esikpali John O., Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, Job Elomah and Dr. Abayomi Arabambi.

Their lawyer, Chief James Ogwu Onoja, had asked the court to declare that, “the 1st Defendant (Abure) cannot continue to function in office as the National Chairman of the 5th Defendant as a result of his suspension by the Ward 03 Executive, Arue, Esan North East Local Government Area dated 31st March, 2023”.

He argued that Abure and his national executives could not continue to function as National Chairman, National Secretary, National Treasurer and National Organising Secretary of the 5th Defendant consequent on the allegations of forgery, perjury and conspiracy established against them by the Commissioner of Police F.C.T and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory pending their prosecution in court.

The FCT High Court granted the request in a ruling that was later objected to by Abure’s legal team.

His preliminary objection against the restraining order was also dismissed by Muazu, leading Abure to approach the appeal court for redress.

Delivering judgment in the matter on Wednesday, Justice Hamma Barka of the appeal court, held that the lower court was wrong to assume jurisdiction on a case that was wrongly instituted.

“Unless an action is initiated by a proper process of law, the action becomes a waste of time despite how competent it may be.

“The aim of an Originating Summon is to speed up the process. But where there are serious issues of fact, it should not begin with an Originating Summon,” the appellate court said, affirming Abure as LP’s National Chairman.