The Labour Party (LP) has denied reports that an Appeal Court sacked the party’s leadership led by Barrister Julius Abure.
The state chapter accused the Lamidi Apapa-led group of spreading misinformation to the general public by its interpretation of the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja asking the parties involved in a leadership tussle to maintain the status quo.
It has been reported that the Labour Party had asked the Court of Appeal to quash the trial court’s comment in the Federal High Court Owerri, insisting that Senator Athan Achonu won the Imo State governorship election primaries.
In its Thursday ruling, the Court of Appeal Owerri, sitting in Abuja on Thursday, August 24, held that the appeal by the Labour Party was not necessary as the decision of the trial court was in its favour and that mere comment of the trial judge in the matter was not a judgment and should be discountenanced.
But speaking to journalists, Apapa claimed that the court ruling had reaffirmed that Abure was not the authentic party chairman of the party when the primaries were conducted.
He said, “The Edo State matter more or less has to do with civil matters. The Excos in Edo suspended him, and they went to court because of that, and they don’t have the right to suspend him. I’m talking about the ward level.
But the FCT (court) restraining order has to do with criminal matters and is between the state and Abure, and nobody is above the law. That’s the difference between a civil matter and a criminal matter.
The order of FCT has not been vacated, and that is why, on the basis of that, the Appeal Court reaffirmed that by the time he conducted his primary, the restraining order was in place, and up till today, the order is still in force. That’s the difference between the two.”
Clarifying the misinformation in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, the party described the ruling of the Appeal Court as a devastating blow for the group as well as Basil Maduka, who is contending the governorship candidacy for Imo state.
He accused Lamidi Apapa of misinforming the public by twisting the clear judgment of the appellate court.
Reacting, Ifoh said, “It is therefore important to state that neither the Federal High Court Owerri nor the Court of Appeal Owerri, which sat in Abuja today made any orders in the matter other than for lack of locus standi against the plaintiff (Basil Maduka).
Consequently, the status quo remains with Senator Athan Achonu as the validly nominated candidate of Labour Party for 2023 Imo governorship election
With this Court of Appeal judgment and the endorsement of Senator Achonu by our national leader Peter Obi, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, the Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure, and other stakeholders and party members, the dust has settled on the gubernatorial ticket issue. Achonu has received the governorship flag of the party and has since flagged off his campaign with a well-attended ceremony in Owerri on Tuesday.
We are, therefore, calling on the Labour Party members, Obidient faithful, and the general public to distance themselves from these falling and compromised members of the party who have since been shoved out of the party.”
