By Ojomah Austin.
The suit seeking to sack the Enugu State Labour Party, (LP) executive from office could not be heard at the Federal High Court, Abuja because the principal defendant, Barrister Casmir Agbo, the state’s party Chairman could not be served the court process.
The lawyer for the plaintiff, Barrister Aremiyau Abubakar told the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite that all efforts to serve the defendant proved abortive and therefore requested for court’s approval to serve Barrister Agbo through substituted means.
He told the court that all other defendants in the case comprising the Labour Party, the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, the Independent National Election Commission, (INEC) and the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, (ESIEC) had been duly served except the Enugu State Chairman of the party, Barrister Agbo who had been evading service.
Hon Justice Nwite consequently granted the approval to serve the state’s party chairman through substituted service and subsequently fixed October 9, 2024 for hearing of the case seeking to end the illegal tenure of the Enugu State Labour Party executives and the working committee members.
The plaintiff, Hon Professor Paul Sunday Nnamchi, the member representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State had instituted the suit seeking for an end to the illegal tenure of Barrister Casmir Agbo led Executives
The plaintiff averred that by the provisions of article 15 . (1) and (2) of the Labour Party constitution, the tenures for National and state’s officers were for four years and three years respectively.
The Barrister Casmir Agbo led executives were appointed into offices on the 16th November 2020 as caretaker committee members to run the party due to certain exigencies at the time.
That appointment was explicitly stated that it would be for a period three months and ought to be renewed after three months in line with the party’s constitution but that was not the case as they continued in the office illegally till April 18, 2023 when the National Executive Committee met in Delta State. and gave them one year extension that was to run from June 2023 to June 2024.
The plaintiff urged the court to sack them and consequently stop them from parading themselves as the leaders of the party in the state and as well declare every action or exercise performed by Barrister Casmir Agbo led Enugu State executive committee of the party after June 2024 a nullity