The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Julius Abure as the national chair of the Labour Party (LP).
On Wednesday, the appellate court set aside the judgment of a federal capital territory (FCT) high court which restrained Abure and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Hamman Barka, head of the three-member panel of justices, held that the FCT high court was wrong to have assumed jurisdiction on the matter.
The court also awarded the sum of N1 million in favour of Abure and other appellants in the matter.
In April 2023, the FCT high court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chair of the LP.
While ruling on an ex parte application, Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary; and Oluchi Opara, treasurer; from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
The plaintiffs in the suit marked: CV/2930/2023 are Martins John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, Job Elomah, and Abayomi 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 Alex Ejesieme, his lawyer, filed a preliminary objection against the suit, saying an allegation of forgery 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.