Julius Abure, the embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has strongly contested his reported removal by an Appeal Court session held in Owerri, the capital of Imo State. According to reports, the Court of Appeal, which convened in Abuja due to security concerns, nullified all unscheduled gubernatorial primary elections conducted by Julius Abure, the party’s National Chairman.
The court further instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly acknowledge and publish the names of governorship candidates from Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states as endorsed by the National Working Committee led by Lamidi Apapa.
Lamidi Apapa, addressing journalists, emphasized that the court’s decision confirmed that Abure was not the legitimate party chairman during the primary elections. Apapa clarified, “The issue in Edo State primarily revolves around civil matters. The Edo Excos had suspended him, leading to a court case. However, their authority to suspend him is questionable, as I am referring to matters at the ward level.”
Apapa continued, “On the other hand, the restraining order from the FCT (court) pertains to criminal matters, involving the state and Abure. In this scenario, no one is exempt from legal proceedings. This disparity delineates civil matters from criminal ones. The FCT’s restraining order remains in effect; thus, the Appeal Court confirmed that Abure conducted the primaries while the restraining order persisted, underscoring its continued validity.”
In contrast, Abure dismissed the news of his removal by the Appeal Court as false. In an interview with The PUNCH, he asserted, “It is unequivocally false news. I am providing you with our official response to the matter. Senator Athan Achonu is our designated candidate. The lower court initially declared its lack of jurisdiction over the case and maintained the status quo.”
Abure continued, “Our decision to appeal was motivated by the judge’s extraneous remarks following the jurisdiction denial, aimed at precluding potential challenges. The current court ruling negated the necessity of the appeal by reiterating its lack of jurisdiction.”
Abure expressed skepticism, stating, “Both the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court have ruled against them. However, they seem accustomed to propagating misinformation and similar tactics.”
Umar Farouk, the LP National Secretary, further refuted the accuracy of the reports, asserting that Abure’s name was absent from the appellate court’s verdict. Farouk clarified, “The information provided was inaccurate. The judgment did not mention Abure at any point. The verdict did not include such details. Someone has deliberately distorted the judgment, and this is incorrect.”
