The confusion over the leadership of Nigeria’s opposition Labour Party (LP), continued on Thursday as a Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State removed Julius Abure as the National chairman of the party.

The appellate court consequently recognized Lamidi Apapa as National Chairman of the LP.

Consequently, the court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately recognise and publish the names of the candidates produced by the Apapa-led National Working Committee in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states for the governorship election.

The ruling was coming against the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, had on Monday, August 14, affirmed Comrade Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the LP.

The court in a unanimous judgement by Justices Theresa Ngolika Orji Abadua Abadua, Fatima Omoro Akinbami  and Justice Sybil O. Nwaka-Gbagi, dismissed the appeal marked No: CA/B/93/2023,  filed by LP’s chieftain, Lucky Shaibu, against Abure and five others.

The court  also nullified the earlier suspension and all actions taken against Com. Abure and the party arising from his purported suspension.

Also, a State High Court sitting in Edo had also dismissed the notice of suspension of Abure by some members of Labour Party at his ward in Edo State.