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Tag: Labour Party

  • Lamidi Apapa Seeking To Scuttle Obi’s Case In Court – LP

    Lamidi Apapa Seeking To Scuttle Obi’s Case In Court – LP

    The Labour Party, LP, has raised the alarm alleging that the self-acclaimed chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, has approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, asking it to dismiss all the cases filed by the party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

    According to the statement, LP urged the tribunal to disregard the “antics” by Apapa, saying they are out to destroy the party and satisfy their alleged paymasters.

    “We are by this statement informing all arms of the Judiciary, including the tribunals and courts to ignore the ignoble antics of these compromised suspended members of the party. We are also calling on the police, DSS and EFCC to arrest these enemies of democracy.

    “Approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates across the board is the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians will resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil,” he said in a statement posted on the party’s official website.

  • NLC Officials Storm LP Secretariat In Solidarity With Abure

    NLC Officials Storm LP Secretariat In Solidarity With Abure

    Officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have stormed the National Secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja as they showed solidarity for the party’s embattled National Chairman Julius Abure.

    The NLC officials were led by its president Joe Ajaero to the Monday outing in the Utako District of Abuja.

    It came amid the leadership crisis rocking LP after a court had restrained Abure and others from parading themselves as officials of the party. Following the development, the LP vice chairman(South) Lamidi Apapa declared himself as the party’s acting chairman.

    But Ajaero said the labour movement will resist any plot to throw the Labour Party into chaos.

    “Today, we say enough is enough. Never again will any human being enter here under any guise, under any order. Even if we lose our leadership, we have to meet as trustees of this party to decide the next line of action,” he said.

    “For anybody to illegally declare himself either as chairman, secretary or anything, we urge all workers anywhere in the country, where you see such people, arrest them and bring them to us.

    “The hour has come. The Bible says, ‘From the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of God suffereth violence. And violence taketh by force. Now we have come to take our party, we have come to establish our party. As the fastest-growing party, you can see that envy and jealousy are crippling in. The people that are pioneering this to sabotage us let’s announce here that we know your fathers.

    “If you continue this way, we will go after your fathers. We leave it here until we finish our private discussion. Let it be known to the whole world that the NLC fathered LP and we will not abandon our child”.

    He explained that the NLC visited the LP headquarters to fish out those who want to usurp the party’s leadership.

    “For some time now, we have not been visiting our house we decided to visit our house this afternoon after getting some information that there are some rodents trying to move into our house and we have come with some insecticide to fumigate the house from any rodents that are illegally trying to enter our property,” he added.

    “So that is why we are here, incidentally, we didn’t see any rodents but we will comb around and see whether there are any. The LP is a child of circumstances. It began when we lost almost all confidence in the existing political parties. And we felt that the LP will be the ideal political party that will represent our ideological persuasions.

    “On the other hand, that was why the LP was formed. For anybody or group that thinks that they can sabotage or derail our ideological move, we will resist them with the last drop of our blood.

    “This was formed by the NLC and TUC. This is our party. Nobody can come from the blues and declare himself as the chairman or secretary of our party without our consent.

    “It is not done. Such people, if they attempt to come here next time, all their property, all their houses, their residential houses we will occupy it where ever it is located. Then they will know that all that they have was given to them by Labour.”

  • LP State Chairmen Pass Vote Of Confidence On National Chairman, Abure Amid Crisis

    LP State Chairmen Pass Vote Of Confidence On National Chairman, Abure Amid Crisis

    The 36 state chairmen of the Labour Party (LP) and some members of the party’s National Working Committee have passed a vote of confidence in the leadership the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure.

    Addressing the press on Saturday, they said the action of Lamidi Apapa and a few individuals is illegal and decisions taken are null and void. Apapa had declared himself as the party’s national chair in the wake of a fresh legal crisis rocking the party whose flag bearer, Peter Obi is challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential poll.

    The 36 state chairman of the party called on Abure, whom they recognise as the national chairman of the party, to immediately call for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

    They passed a vote of confidence on Abure and insisted that Yomi Arabambi and Anslem Eragbe remained suspended from the party.

    They hailed the decision of the Trustees of the party, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade union Congress (TUC) for their decision to stand by Abure, insisting that due process must be followed for any removal or suspension to take effect.

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday sacked Abure as LP chairman and restrained three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party. This followed an ex-parte application argued by a James Onoja.

    However, a State High Court sitting in Benin on the same day, restrained LP and all its members from any suspension of its national officers till the determination of motion on notice.

  • Court Stops Suspension Of Labour Party National Chairman, Other Officers

    Court Stops Suspension Of Labour Party National Chairman, Other Officers

    A State High Court sitting in Benin, on Wednesday, restrained Labour Party and all its members from any suspension of its national officers till the determination of motion on notice.

    Labour Party lawyer, G. C. Igbokwe (SAN) confirmed to journalists that he has gotten a High Court order that status quo is maintained and no action which may result to the suspension of any national officer of the party be taken.

    The Senior Advocate said, “Our attention has been drawn to a latter order purportedly from another court of equal jurisdiction restraining my clients. Of course, such order is of no consequence and will have no effect until after the determination of the motion on notice.”

    Recall that the entire leadership of Labour Party in Edo state including the State, Local Government and Ward executives on Monday passed a vote of confidence on Abure, who was allegedly 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 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.

    Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the party, Mr Kelly Ogbaloi, 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.”

  • Court Restrains LP’s Chairman, Others Officials From Parading As National Officers

    Court Restrains LP’s Chairman, Others Officials From Parading As National Officers

    Justice Hamza Muazu of a Federal Capital Territory High Court has issued an order restraining the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure; National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.

    The judge issued the restraining order while ruling in an ex-parte application argued by a James Onoja. In an application, Onoja told the court how the restrained National officers allegedly forged several documents of the FCT High Court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last general elections.

    Among the documents were the receipts, seal and affidavits of the Court to carry out criminal activities.

    The Senior Counsel also tendered several documents, confirming to the Judge that the Chief Registrar of the Court, wrote the Labour Party to disown several documents used for the alleged criminal activities by Abure and three others. Onoja added that following their indictment by police investigation, the four people are to be arraigned in court adding that warrants for their arrest have already been obtained.

    In a brief ruling, Justice Muazu held that the application and the supporting affidavits are a good case for the request to be granted. The Judge then ordered that Abure, Farouk Ibrahim, the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu and the Treasurer, Oluchi Opara immediately stop parading themselves as National Officers of Labour Party.

  • Police seal Labour Party secretariat in Imo State

    Police seal Labour Party secretariat in Imo State

    The National leadership of the Labour Party, LP, on Monday alleged that its party Secretariat in Owerri, Imo state has been invaded and occupied by the agents loyal to Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma.

    The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Mallam Umar Farouk, in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri.

    The party said it was part of Uzodimma’s plot to install a governorship candidate in the labour party and control the LP leadership in Imo.

    According to them, “The national leadership of the Labour Party is shocked over the Invasion and Occupation, the action of its Secretariat in Owerri, today, Monday, April 3, 2023, by the agents of Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, including thugs and unauthorized policemen drafted fa from the government house.

    “Such illegal occupation was akin to a similar invasion on the same Secretariat on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Unlike the March invasion, where no reason was given by the state government on why it took such unlawful action against our political party, this time, they said that the action was due to a Court Order.

    “But as at the moment, no such Order to our knowledge was given. No Order has been presented to us by the court or its agents. The Policemen presently occupying our Secretariat have not even shown us the Order. At the moment, all our officials and staff have been barred from accessing the Secretariat.

    “We have contacted the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the ongoing development in the state, and it has been confirmed that the Force is not aware of any security breach whatsoever in the state to warrant the occupation of our Secretariat.

    “The Police have also informed us that it has not detailed any of their officers and men to the Labour Party Secretariat in Imo state; and that the officers may have been drafted from the State House in the state.”

    “The Labour Party however is not unmindful of the efforts of the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma to hijack the leadership of the Party in Imo state.

    “These actions have confirmed the information available to us of plots by the governor to plant some surrogates wearing the garments of aspirants in the party. This game plan, as archaic as it seems, has been detected and punctured, the consequences being the aggression unleashed on the party by the state government,” he said.

  • Labour Party Dismisses Reports Of National Chairman’s Suspension

    Labour Party Dismisses Reports Of National Chairman’s Suspension

    The leadership of the Labour Party on Friday denounced the purported suspension of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, by the executive members of his ward in Edo State.

    In a statement signed by the National Secretary of the party, Mallam Farouk Umar, the LP said the purported suspension is illegal and of no consequence.

    According to the party’s constitution, Umar said it is only the National Convention that can suspend the national chairman and this must be through a convention called for the purpose of the suspension.

    “Again, our Party Constitution is clear on who can suspend and who cannot suspend the National Chairman. They should go and read the party constitution. Only the National Convention can suspend the National Chairman of the Labour Party. It also must be through such a convention called for the purpose of the suspension of the National Chairman,” the statement read.

    “We think that the sudden suspension was an afterthought of some opposition parties purely to distract the leadership of the Labour Party at this time. There is no reasonable party member now who will be thinking of such a thing when we are pursuing our presidential mandate in the court and all other mandates including the governorship, Senate and House of Representatives that were brazenly stolen.

    “Who will be contemplating the suspension of any national party official now? It is on record that for the first time in the party’s history, the Abure-led leadership has succeeded in changing the country’s political narratives.

    “A party from the blues competing with the top two political parties and in the process, winning eight Senate and 34 House of Representatives as well as numerous House of Assembly seats. We also won a governorship seat while we are in court to retrieve other mandates including the presidency.”

  • INEC Denies Refusing Aggrieved Political Parties Access To Election Materials

    INEC Denies Refusing Aggrieved Political Parties Access To Election Materials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied the allegation that it has refused to allow aggrieved political parties to inspect election materials as ordered by the Appeal Court.

    INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, made the clarification, when he appeared as a guest on Arise TV on Sunday.

    Okoye advised lawyers of the aggrieved parties, to channel their request appropriately, so that, “the issues can be handled expeditiously.”

    He added that INEC, at the national level, does not conduct elections, but rather elections are conducted at the state and local government level.

    The INEC Commissioner also stated that the commission will direct the parties to the appropriate place where they will find the materials they want.

    He said, “The commission will not deliberately or flagrantly disobey the order of a properly constituted court of law, and in this case, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal.

    “I think that what the parties involved in this election should do, is to send lawyers who understand the trajectory of the electoral process and request for some of these materials.

    “If you are requesting to scan ballot papers used during the election, ballot papers are not in the headquarters of INEC.

    “Some of these ballot papers are still in our local government offices and so the proper place to scan them will be at our local government offices.”

    Okoye said INEC is only resetting the BVAS, to recognize the new date for the forthcoming election.

    He explained that the BVAS will not allow itself to reconfigure until all the data in it has been uploaded to the commission’s server.

    Okoye ruled out the possibility of INEC allowing individuals to witness the reconfiguring of the BVAS, saying the device contains sensitive information of biometrics of other individuals.

  • BVAS Inspection: Labour Party Threatens Nationwide Protest At INEC Offices

    BVAS Inspection: Labour Party Threatens Nationwide Protest At INEC Offices

    Labour Party (LP) has threatened to protest at the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nationwide over the Commission’s failure to allow it to inspect materials used for the presidential election of February 25th, 2023.

    The party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi had sought an order from the Court of Appeal to prevent INEC from reconfiguring the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). But the court gave the Commission permission to reconfigure it and asked that Obi be given access to inspect the materials.

    Days after the ruling, the LP Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PCC) spokesman Dr Yunusa Tanko accused the electoral umpire of not following the court order.

    “As we speak INEC has chosen to obey the court order given to it to reconfigure the BVAS machine, which they doing right now and ignoring the order granted to us to inspect electoral materials,” he said in the statement dated March 10, 2023.

    “We, therefore, call on the general public to note the level of lawlessness and brazen disobedience to a lawful order of a court by an important statutory agency such as INEC, which is a well-calculated attempt to undermine and frustrate the presentation of the Petition by the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate before the tribunal in good time.

    “We, therefore, want to state that we will not fail to call our supporters to march to INEC offices nationwide in a non-violent protest which is allowed by law. This is to curtail the flagrant disobedience to court orders by INEC.”

    READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with greatest impunity have refused, neglected and failed to obey the Order of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja made on the 03rd day of March 2023, directing it to grant the Labour Party and its presidential candidate H.E. Peter Gregory Obi leave to apply and receive from INEC, certified true copies of materials used in the presidential election held on 25th February 2023.

    It will be recalled that the aforesaid Order of the presidential election petition tribunal was duly served on INEC on the 3rd of March 2023 despite the fact that they were present and represented at the tribunal when the Order was made.

    Not minding the service of the said Order on INEC, and a reminder letter dated the 6th day of March 2023 and delivered the same date at the INEC Headquarters Abuja, the electoral umpire has continued to ignore and or disobey the valid Order of such magnitude till NOW.

    It should be noted that in a democracy like ours, rule of law must triumph not only in our legal system but also in our body polity as a whole. Parties to litigation like in the instant case must accept and obey every order of a court in good faith and no party should be seen to employ self-help to disparage or disrespect an order of a court which if not checked and curtailed could possibly undermine our democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism.

    The action of INEC under reference also constitutes for all intent and purposes, an act of judicial insubordination and willful refusal to comply with the order of the court.

    As we speak INEC has chosen to obey the court order given to it to reconfigure the BIVAS machine, which they doing right now and ignoring the order granted to us to inspect electoral materials.

    We, therefore, call on the general public to note the level of lawlessness and brazen disobedience to a lawful order of a court by an important statutory agency such as INEC, which is a well-calculated attempt to undermine and frustrate the presentation of the Petition by the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate before the tribunal in good time.

    We, therefore, want to state that we will not fail to call our supporters to march to INEC offices nationwide in a non-violent protest which is allowed by law. This is to curtail the flagrant disobedience to court orders by INEC

    Thank you

    Dr Yunusa Tanko
    Chief Spokesman
    LP-PCC

  • Thugs Attack Labour Party’s Guber Campaign Convoy in Kaduna

    Thugs Attack Labour Party’s Guber Campaign Convoy in Kaduna

    A campaign convoy of the  Labour Party governorship candidate in Kaduna state, Honourable Jonathan Asake was attacked by suspected political thugs on Friday, March 10, at Gidan Waya in Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

    Spokesman of the Labour Party Candidate, James Swam, said the incident happened when the campaign convoy was passing through Gidan Waya during Friday Muslim prayers, on its way to Godogodo and other towns as the campaign team toured the local government.

    Channels Television reported that the attack ensued after the first three vehicles in the convoy made their way through the old tyres used to demarcate the road. Thugs in the area started throwing stones, big sticks and other harmful objects at the long convoy, before the timely intervention of the security personnel attached to the candidate intervened.

    Two boys and two girls were injured during the attack.