On Wednesday, the State High Court in Benin prohibited the Labour Party and all of its members from suspending any of its national officers until the outcome of the motion on notice.
G. C. Igbokwe (SAN), a lawyer for the Labour Party, stated to the press that he had obtained a High Court order directing the maintenance of the status quo and prohibiting any actions that would lead to the suspension of any national officers of the party.
“Our attention has been directed to a later ruling apparently from another court of equal jurisdiction restraining my clients,” the Senior Advocate added.
Naturally, such an order is meaningless and will not take effect until the motion on notice has been decided.
Recall that the entire leadership of the Labour Party in Edo state including the State, Local Government, and Ward executives on Monday passed a vote of confidence on Abure, who was allegedly suspended by a factional group of the party.
The party recalled that some groups who claimed to be ward three executives of the party in Edo State, led by the Ward’s Chairman, Martins Osigbemhe, had earlier announced the suspension of the LP national chairman.
The chapters claimed, however, that the Osigbemhe group is unknowing of the party and is working for the opposing political parties during a solidarity visit to Abure at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Kelly Ogbaloi, the party’s chairman for the state of Edo, told reporters that no group or member of the party has the authority to suspend a national office under the party’s constitution.
Although Abure was chosen at a national convention, “imposters” who are not officially registered party members cannot suspend him, according to Ogbaloi, who claimed that their behavior is motivated by ignorance. Those responsible don’t even comprehend the message they were expected to convey.
There is no set time for the hearing.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
