The Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has nullified the gubernatorial primary elections conducted by embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states.
The faction also blamed Abure and the party’s embattled National Publicity Secretary, Farouk Umar Ibrahim, for the nullification of the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti’s candidature by the Federal High Court sitting in Kano State.
The Apapa-led faction in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Abayomi Arabambi, maintained that the FCT High Court still maintained the restraining orders on Abure and three other national leaders of the party.
Arabambi stated that he had raised the alarm that the party faced imminent threat of losing Otti “due to Julius Abure's shady practice.”
The statement further read, “It would also be recalled that I have consistently raised the alarm that Abure and his gang of fraudsters still parading themselves today as national officers of Labour Party should tell the party why they refused to submit names of Labour Party registered members in Kano, especially in Abia State where we had good outing and where eventually produced a governor from the last governorship election conducted in the state.
“The truth is that, they held onto these names and didn't submit them to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in accordance with Section 72 of Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).
“While national chairmen and Secretaries of other political parties were busy doing all that was necessary to meet with the deadline for the submission of names of registered members , Abure and company were busy shopping for candidates to swindle and smuggle their names into the party's register in exchange for those who won their primaries in some parts of the country.
“Today, we have been vindicated after a Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice M N Yunusa nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect Dr Alex Otti and all the candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano States due to the Labour Party’s failure to complies with Section 72 of the Electoral Act 2022 (as Amended).
“The reason is unconnected with what I have lamented over in the past few months that Abure's action was not in compliance with the provisions of the 2022 electoral act. The failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days before their primaries renders the process invalid.
“If we failed to comply with the provisions of the electoral act we cannot as well said that we had candidates going into the elections in the affected states.
“This is no time for politics but a time to tell ourselves the truth. Who is Abure working for when he forged a court's documents and seal? Who was Abure working for when he refused to send the names of these candidates to INEC at the appropriate time?
“The unsuspecting members of the Obidient family must know that this decision of the court was a grand design of Abure to cash in on Labour Party fortunes for the sole benefit of himself and immediate families
“Today we are happy to inform you that the FCT high court has ordered the maintenance of the restraining order made by the court on April 5th 2023 pending the court judgment from the appeal.
“The implication of today’s judgment at the FCT High Court is that the leadership of Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi APAPA and Alhaji SALEH Lawan remains in force and we hereby warn that all actions and decisions taken by Abure and his gangsters on behalf of the party including the Asaba NEC meeting and all primaries conducted in IMO STATE, KOGI STATE and BAYELSA STATE are null and void and of no consequence.
“Finally on the FCT high matters, Abure’s counsel Mr Alex Ijetieme (SAN) who was present in court today can be reached to deny or confirm this position through a press statement if it’s true that the order restraining Abure and 3 others is still in force or not.”
Meanwhile, when SaharaReporters contacted Ijetieme, he refused to comment on the court order.
“I cannot speak on a matter that is in court. You can go to court to verify anything,” he said.