The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court that restrained Julius Abure and two others from acting as national officers of the Labour Party (LP).
The ruling, delivered by Justice Hamman Barka, set aside the earlier decision made by Presiding Judge Hamza Muazu, which had restrained Abure, Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Opara from functioning as national officers of the LP.
Additionally, the Court of Appeal dismissed the objection raised by Julius Abure challenging his removal as chairman of the LP. The case stemmed from a suit filed by Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah, and Ayobami Arabambi, who accused Abure and others of forging documents of the FCT high court to carry out unlawful substitutions in past elections.
The defendants, dissatisfied with the ruling of the FCT High Court, sought redress from the Court of Appeal, which ultimately ruled in their favor. Justice Barka, in delivering the lead judgment, stated that the high court had erred in assuming jurisdiction over the matter.
As a result of the Court of Appeal’s decision, Julius Abure and the other appellants have been vindicated, and they have also been awarded N1 million in damages. This ruling marks a significant turn in the legal proceedings surrounding the leadership dispute within the Labour Party.