Labour Party Crisis: Court Says Lamidi Apapa Still Acting Nat’l Chair

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that Lamidi Apapa remains the Acting chairman of the Labour party.

This is as the court dismissed a preliminary objection by the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, and three others over their suspension from the party.

Justice Hamza Muazu, in a ruling on Friday, held that the court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter and make the order restraining Abure and the others from parading themselves as national officers of the LP.

Abure, the National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim; the National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara; and the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu, who was suspended on April 5 had filed the motion challenging the court’s powers to hear the matter.

Arguing the motion, counsel to Abure and the three other national officers, Ben Nwosu Esq, said the matter was an internal affair of the LP, which the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain and it was, therefore, non-justiceable.

The original suit was brought by Martins Esikpali John O., Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhalu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, Job Elomah and Dr Abayomi Arabambi through their lawyer, James Onoja (SAN).

They also averred that the party chairman was suspended by the ward executives of the LP in Ward 03, Arue, Esan, North East Local Government Area of Edo State via a resolution of March 31, 2023.

Meanwhile, lawyers to the LP have vowed to appeal the latest ruling.