Appeal Court affirms Abure as Labour Party Chairman, fines Apapa N1m

 

. Peter Obi not under pressure to leave Party over smear campaign against Abure -LP insists

CHIGOZIE IKPO, Abuja

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, reversed the decision of the FCT High Court, which dismissed the objection raised by Barr. Julius Abure challenging his removal as chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

It will be recalled that Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court, Abuja on May 13, 2023, dismissed the preliminary objection by Abure after a rulling on an ex-parte application which restrained him and three others; Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Opara, from acting as national executives of the party.

The suit marked CV/2930/2023 was instituted by Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah and Ayobami Arabambi.

The plaintiffs told the court that the defendants forged several documents of the court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last elections.

Abure through his lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, filed a preliminary objection against the suit, saying that an allegation of forgery against his clients cannot be brought before the court by way of an originating summon.

Ejesieme alleged that the plaintiffs are not members of the LP and therefore, lack the locus standi to institute the suit, adding that the matter borders on the internal issues of the party which the court cannot interfere with.

Justice Muazu held that the court has jurisdiction to hear the matter even though it relates to the parties internal affairs, as there would have no need to interfere, had the party been at peace.

He added that the plaintiffs were right to have instituted the case by originating summons and subsequently restrained Abure and his executives from acting as National officers of the party.

Dissatisfied, Abure proceeded to appeal the judgment, seeking determination whether the lower court was right in the dismissal of his preliminary objection to his removal National Chairman.

Delivering the Lead Judgement on Wednesday, Justice Hamma Akawu Barka, held that the appeal filed by Abure was meritorious and set aside the earlier judgement of lower court.

Justice Barka held that the process applied by the lower court is incompetent as it wrongly assumed jurisdiction over the case.

He said that issues bothering on forgery, perjury and conspiracy are unproven and deals with serious issues of fact, so the suit should not begin with an originating summon.

The judge also held that the lower court was wrong to interfere in the internal affairs of the political party.

“The party is in its own right Supreme over its affairs, the court will not enforce its own will over that of the political party” Justice Barka held.

The court also held that no ward executive has the power to suspend a National officer of a political party dully elected by the National delegation, adding that the such powers are exclusive to the National body.

Justice Barka, therefore, held that the appeal has merit and set aside the decision of the lower court.

The Court also placed a fine of One million naira (N1,000,000) on the respondents.

Meanwhile, the National Leadership of the Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday, warned those disseminating falsehood against its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure using every available social media platform, to desist from further media trial of our leader or rather approach the court if they are convinced of their allegations.

 

The party also said that the party’s national leader, Peter Obi is not under any pressure to dump the party ahead the 2027 general over the sustained smear campaign against Julius Abure.

 

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, the party said that Mr. Obi has restated his willingness to remain in the party knowing that all the attacks at Abure were sponsored and orchestrated by some political opponents in the high places.

 

According to him, “It astonishes us how far our detractors can go in ensuring that the party swims from one ocean of crisis to another in their evil desire to create disharmony between the party and our leaders.

 

“We are aware that Abure is not the target of these ferocious and malicious missiles. We are also aware that huge sums of money has been mapped out to wage a propaganda war against our leader ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

“The feat of the Labour Party in the last general election rattled not a few persons and the fear of the future has driven them to begin so early to prepare ahead. Part of the strategy is to make any political platform unviable for Obi to sail with.

 

“The party is also aware that any Political Party Peter Obi finds himself in as a vehicle for the 2027 presidential election including the Labour Party, will not be spared by the political hirelings who are already recruited to dismember such a party.

 

“Let me emphasis here that even Peter Obi has severally pledged loyalty to the Labour Party due to its social democratic ideology which suits his political vision. Peter Obi will not anymore fellowship with any bourgeoisie party. He is a liberator and not a ruler as seen in the other parties.”

 

The National Publicity Secretary while also speaking on the corrupt enrichment allegations leveled against the National Chairman, said, “They are spurious, fairy tale, and a calculated attempt to tar the person of Abure with a dark brush. The audit report by the party’s external auditor gave the party a clean bill of health since 2021 when Abure assumed office. As a matter of fact, an earlier forensic audit report carried out in 2017 indicted our suspended Treasurer for fraudulently diverting huge sums of money to personal accounts.

 

“Abure’s only offence was that he refused to allow the continuation of looting while insisting that accountability must be enthroned. The very official who was the greatest beneficiary of those sleazes became uncomfortable and started wedging wars.

 

“We are aware that Abure is still living in a rented apartment in Abuja and that he only recently refurbished a bungalow left for him by his late father as the first son. There is also no law in Nigeria forbidding a citizen from owning properties. Those making all these spurious allegation may have to prove them in the court as the case is already before the court.

 

“It would also interest you to know that no kobo has ever left the Labour Party Bank accounts without a co signatory; either by the National Secretary or the National Treasurer. So the narrative that Abure alone siphoned or diverted the party fund is clearly misleading and orchestrated to muscle him out of office.” Ifoh Concluded