Court of Appeal Upholds Julius Abure as Labour Party National Chairman

In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Mr. Julius Abure as the legitimate National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). This decision overturns a previous ruling by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which had placed restrictions on Abure’s leadership.

The unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices annulled an earlier order from the FCT High Court that had restrained Abure and his executive team from carrying out their duties within the political party. The initial injunction stemmed from a lawsuit initiated by the Chief Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the LP.

The ruling from the FCT High Court, delivered on April 5, 2023, had temporarily suspended Abure from his role as National Chairman, alongside other party officials. However, the Court of Appeal’s decision found fault with the jurisdiction assumed by the lower court and deemed the case brought by the Apapa faction as incompetent.

Justice Hamma Barka, delivering the lead judgment on Wednesday, criticized the handling of the case by the lower court, particularly its acceptance of an Originating Summon for a matter involving allegations of fraud and criminality. The Court of Appeal emphasized the need for such cases to proceed through a proper trial process to allow for the presentation of evidence and witness testimony.

Additionally, the Court of Appeal questioned the authority of Ward Executives within a political party to unilaterally suspend National Officers, highlighting the internal nature of such disputes within party structures.

In light of these considerations, the Court of Appeal not only upheld Abure’s position as National Chairman but also imposed a cost of N1 million against the respondents, signaling a significant legal victory for Abure and his executive team.