According to NAN reports, on Friday, Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court in Abuja affirmed the court's jurisdiction to hear legal actions initiated by certain members of the Labour Party. The party had filed a lawsuit seeking to oust its chairman, national organizing secretary, and national treasurer - Julius Abure, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Opara.

According to Justice Muazu, the court is now empowered to adjudicate on matters concerning political parties, contrary to previous legal understanding. However, he also noted that if the Labour Party was not in a state of internal conflict, there would be no need for the court's intervention. "When there is no crack on the wall, there will not be a need for an outsider to come to mend it," he said. Furthermore, the judge determined that the plaintiffs' case is justiciable, despite the argument of Alex Ejesieme, SAN, who represented Abure and Farouk.

The judge also noted that the plaintiffs were correct in initiating the case through originating summons. Additionally, he ruled that the plaintiffs, as members of the Labour Party, have the legal standing to bring the matter before the court.

On April 20, during proceedings related to the April 5 ex-parte injunction by Justice Muazu that halted Abure, Farouk, and two other national officials, Ejesieme argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case. He maintained that the matter at hand concerned the internal affairs of the Labour Party. The senior advocate further contended that the criminal allegations against the officials could not be heard through an originating summons. According to Ejesieme, the issue of locus standi was also relevant, as the claimants were not members of NEC or the party and had not presented their membership cards to the court.

George Ibrahim, the counsel for the plaintiffs, urged the court to reject the preliminary objection made by the defendants' counsel. Ibrahim argued that the defendants, who are the first to fourth defendants, had yet to comply with the court's April 5 order, as they were still holding themselves out as national officers of the Labour Party. The court's ruling on its jurisdiction to hear the case means that the April 5 order remains valid. The judge has adjourned the case until May 19 to hear the substantive matter. The eight plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah, and Dr. Ayobami Arabambi.

In an interview with journalists, Alhaji Bashir Apapa, the acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, responded to the court's ruling, stating that justice had been served and that the judge had acted in accordance with true justice. He added that with the ruling, there was no doubt that he was in charge and the acting National Chairman of the party. Following the ruling, Apapa directed all of the party's lawyers involved in its election petition before the presidential election petition court to meet with him within 48 hours to provide a briefing on the status of the proceedings.