An Edo State High Court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Okey Aihamoje, has dismissed the notice of suspension issued by some members of Ward 3 against the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barrister Julius Abure. The court ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Abure and other executives of the ward.
In his judgment, Justice Aihamoje stated that the ward executive in Ward 3 does not possess the authority, as outlined in Articles 17 and 19 of the LP constitution, as well as the Electoral Act 2022, to remove the national chairman of the party. The judge, in Suit No: HUC/21/2023, imposed an injunction preventing the removal or suspension of Abure as the National chairman until the national convention of the party is convened.
Furthermore, Justice Aihamoje emphasized that the ward 3 executive’s actions in suspending the national chairman exceeded the powers granted to them by the party’s constitution.
Responding to the judgment, Comrade Thompson Ehiguese, the Ward 3 LP chairman, expressed satisfaction, stating that the ruling puts an end to the activities of those individuals who were falsely claiming membership in the Labour Party within his ward.
Barr. President Aigbokhan, counsel to the LP, hailed the judgment as a significant decision that will stand the test of time. He asserted that any decision made based on the void suspension notice would be rendered invalid. The court highlighted that the role of the ward executive in the Labour Party does not include the suspension of national officers. Aigbokhan emphasized that anyone relying on the suspension notice against the National Chairman of the Labour Party is acting independently and contrary to the court’s ruling, which nullified the notice and restrained the National Working Committee from removing the National Chairman until the National Convention.
State chairman of LP, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, expressed the party’s vindication, stating that the court’s decision confirmed their earlier assertions that the individuals involved were power-seekers. He further explained that the judgment clarified that those who announced the suspension of the national chairman in Abuja did not possess the legal competence to do so, as the party’s constitution stipulates that the national chairman can only be removed through a convention. Ogbaloi highlighted that if the actions taken in Abuja were not part of a convention, they hold no validity, and Apapa, the individual in question, is prohibited from presenting himself as the Acting National Chairman.
The court’s ruling upholds the integrity of the Labour Party’s constitution and affirms the authority of the national chairman, ensuring stability and adherence to the party’s established procedures.