Court stops LP from suspending national officers

A High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday stopped the Labour Party (LP) from suspending its national officers until the determination of the motion on notice.

LP lawyer, G. C. Igbokwe (SAN), reportedly confirmed that he has gotten a High Court order that the status quo is maintained at the party on the national level.

Igbokwe also revealed, according to reports, that no action which may result in the suspension of any of the national officers of the party will henceforth be taken.

“Our attention has been drawn to a latter order purportedly from another court of equal jurisdiction restraining my clients.

“Of course, such an order is of no consequence and will have no effect until after the determination of the motion on notice.”

The leadership of the LP in Edo state including the state, local government and ward executives on Monday had passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, who was 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.

However, in a solidarity visit to Barrister Abure at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, the chapters said the Osigbemhe faction are unknown to the party and are working for the opposition political parties.

Kelly Ogbaloi, Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the party, while addressing newsmen said that the constitution of the party did not empower any group or party members to suspend a national officer.

Ogbaloi said that since Abure was elected by a national convention, “imposters who are not registered party members cannot suspend him, so their action is out of ignorance. Those who did it don’t even understand the message they were asked to deliver.”