An Edo state High Court sitting in Benin City has held that the party ward executive in Ward 3 lacked the powers under Articles 17 & 19 of Labour Party (LP) constitution to remove Mr. Julius Abure, the national chairman of the party.
The court held that the Electoral Act 2022, as amended, also “forbids ward party executives from removing the national chairman of a party.”
The presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Okey Aihamoje, accordingly dismissed the notice of suspension issued against Mr. Julius Abure by some members of his Ward 3 executive in Esan North-east local government area of the state.
Justice Aihamoje further stated that the purported Ward 3 executive, who suspended the national chairman of the party, acted outside the powers vested on it by the party’s constitution.
The judge in a Suit No: HUC/21/2023 imposed an injunction against removing or suspending Abure as the national chairman until the national convention of the party was convened.
The counsel to the LP, President Aigbokhan, described the judgement as “a landmark decision” that would stand the test of time.
