Appeal Court vacates order sacking Abure as LP Chairman

The Court of Appeal on Wednesday set aside the judgment of an FCT High Court which restrained Julius Abure and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the Labour Party (LP).

Ruling on an ex parte application on April 5, 2023, Justice Hamza Muazu, had restrained Abure, Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Opara from acting as national officers of the LP.

Also, Muazu on May 12, 2023, dismissed the preliminary objection raised by Abure challenging his removal as chairman of the LP.

The suit was filed by Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah, and Abayomi Arabambi accusing Abure and others of forging several documents of the FCT high court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last elections.

The defendants through their lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, SAN contended 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.

He added that the matter borders on the internal issues of the party which the court cannot interfere in.

Justice Muazu held that the court has the jurisdiction to hear the matter despite being an internal affair of the party.

He added that there would have been no need to interfere, had the party been at peace.

The defendants, however, approached the appeal court for redress.

Delivering the lead judgment on Wednesday, Justice Hamma Barka held that the high court was wrong to have assumed jurisdiction on the matter.

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