Lamidi Apapa Led Labour Party passes Vote of Confidence on INEC Chairman, Yakubu

By Abubakar Idris

The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa and the National Working Committee of the party have passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

Reacting to a viral open letter addressed to the INEC Chairman "on frivolous allegations" by the media aides of former National Chairman of Labour Party,  Julius Abure, the Party insisted that it was a deliberately orchestrated bland and false narrative about the proceedings inside the Court of Appeal at Igbosere, Lagos state on the 19th of October 2023 in a matter involving Labour Party and Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, INEC  and two others in Appeal N0. CA/OW/HR/AB/05/2023 

In a letter dated October 21, 2023 which was addressed to the INEC Chairman, Abuja and signed by Dr Arabambi Abayomi, its National Publicity Secretary, the Labour Party maintained its position on the Appeal Court proceedings in Lagos on Suit No: ca/ow/ab/06/2023 between Hon Amobi Godwin Ogah of LP And Hon Nkiruka Onyejeocha of APC that Julius Abure actions are the causes of Labour Party candidate's failure noting that  INEC Legal Department is not guilty of any accusations.

Arabambi's letter read thus:

 "Labour party attention has been drawn to an open letter online addressed to you on frivolous allegations against your respected office and personality where the restrained former National Chairman Julius Abure's media aides deliberately orchestrated bland and false narratives about the proceedings inside the Court of Appeal Igbosere Lagos state yesterday 19th October 2023 involving Labour Party and Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, INEC & 2 ORS in Appeal N0. CA/OW/HR/AB/05/2023  

Preamble

Hon Amobi Godwin Ogah of the Labour Party contested against Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of APC and was declared as the winner of the March 25th Presidential and National Assembly Election For the Federal House of Representatives seat of Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, but his victory was annulled at the Election Tribunal

Delivering judgement in the petition tagged EPT/AB/HR/8/2023 on Wednesday 6th of September 2023 in Umuahia, the three-member panel of the tribunal said Ogah did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The Tribunal agreed that how a candidate is sponsored by a political party is both a pre and post-election matter and there is no evidence of giving 21 days’ notice to INEC by the Labour party before conducting their primary election.

The Tribunal further said that our party under the then Former National Chairman Julius Abure did not place any documents showing the date of conducting of the primary thus no evidence of primaries was placed before the court and the Tribunal finally countenanced the claims of the Labour party that it’s was an internal affair of the party.

Mr Chairman Sir, Our party in the rule of law found nothing wrong with the judgement delivered by the 3 members panel of the Tribunal because our party under the Former National Chairman Julius Abure did not give your commission the mandatory 21 days' notice for the conduct of wards, Local Governments and state Congress in respect of Isuikwuator/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State 

Mr Chairman Sir, a further confirmation of our party position above has also been confirmed via your commission letter signed by the INEC National Secretary Rose Oriaran -Anthony with Ref nos:INEC /DEPM/APC/278/T dated 17th day of April 2023 and addressed to Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, APC National Vice Chairman where your commission stated in unambitious terms that "This is to inform you that by the records of the Commission, Labour party did not notify the Commission of dates for the conduct of wards, LGA and State Congress and Delegates list.

The Commission concluded that they did not monitor any wards, LGA and State Congress for Election of the Delegates by the party.

After the judgement of the 3 members Tribunal, an instant appeal was filed for Hon Amobi OGAH at the Court of Appeal Lagos by an illegal arm of the Labour Party under, the police criminally indicted Forger, impersonator of former National Chairman Julius Abure who has since been restrained by the FCT high court on April 5th 2023 from parading himself as National Chairman of our party for Forgery, impersonation and criminal conspiracies.

The appeal in question was without the authority of the Acting National Chairman Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa and Acting National Secretary Alh Saleh Lawan who had earlier been saddled with the Labour Party leadership Responsibilities with Recognition by Federal High Court Owerri, Court of Appeal Imo State and Supreme Court Abuja 

Facts Of Issues That Arises At The Court Of Appeal Lagos On October 19th 2023

Mr Chairman Sir, what played out Thursday the 19th day of October, 2023, with the decisions of the 3 members judges of the Court of Appeal Lagos to adjourn the hearing of the Appeal to Tuesday 24th October 2023 due to double representation of counsel to both Labour Party And INEC was nothing new in our judicial rules

On one part, While Chief Umeh Kalu SAN announces his appearance for the Labour Party, Barr Oyelekan Akingbade who is the National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party in Nigeria also announces appearances for the Labour Party 

The judges directed the two LP counsel to address them on who is the proper Party before the court and the Justices discovered that Chief Umeh Kalu was hired to file the appeal with no letter of instruction from the legally recognized leadership of the Labour Party and was directed to liaise with the approved and Legally Recognized Leadership of the Party headed by the Acting National Chairman Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa 

It was at this point the National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party Barr Akingbade told the court that the instant appeal in question was not even known to the Labour Party National Working Committee and that the learned silk committed a political harakiri and official misconduct by appearing in a matter without proper briefing from the appropriate channel, that is the National Legal adviser of Labour party who is the Chief Law officer of Labour party in Nigeria

Mr Chairman Sir, on the Julius Abure illegal LABOUR PARTY Allegations of INFAMY AND DISHONOUR against your commission are unfortunate and unfounded by those characters who ought to be ashamed of their past shameful actions against the relevant electoral act of selling falsehood to the public rather than accepting the facts that the commission was responsible for their woes

ON INEC LEGAL REPRESENTATION

Mr Chairman Sir, as an eye witness to the issues surrounding the appearances of two counsel for INEC in the appeal, your commission had earlier engaged the service of a Senior Counsel, Y.U. Usman (SAN), as its lawyer and who also handled the matter at the Tribunal has a letter of authorisation to represent the commission. 

But at the commencement of the hearing at the Appeal Court, another lawyer J.O Asoluka (SAN) surfaced with another letter of authority to take over the appeal for INEC, and there was another letter debriefing the said J.O Asoluka and in the face of this confusion the court directed both counsel to go back and put their house in order before the next adjourned date. 

 The court also reprimanded the Learned Silk Chief Umeh Kalu who had earlier been told to seek authority from Barr Oyelekan Akingbade.

Labour party knows that the Commission Legal Department under the INEC Acts and constitution of Nigeria must brief and debrief any counsel of their choice, we are shocked that an association like a political party will want to usurp the constitutional rights of a government INEC 

It is an irresponsible Act for anyone to lace a statement presented to the public with lies and devilish concoctions just to deceive unsuspecting members of the public to gain undeserved sympathy from this bunch of Lawbreakers

Where are their facts to prove that some leaders of the APC are openly fraternizing with the Supreme Court Recognize National Chairman of Labour Alh Lamidi Apapa whom those thoroughly demystified lilliputian political buccaneers predators and defeated ethnic irredeemable irresponsible irredentist claims were openly boasting that they will purchase judgement at all cost. 

Labour Party wishes to remind this bunch of End time political entertainers and emergency democratic empty and brainwashed Characters that the Labour Party national Chairman is not responsible for the implementation of such sensitive directives relating to that kind of legal representation in INEC as it is rightly known.

It is, therefore, incongruous and antithetical to common sense to think that the Labour Party should be held accountable in collusion with INEC for such policy Legal Representation over which we have no legal responsibility to execute.

What calls for great concern now is the interest in who represents INEC by Restrained and police indicted Forger and criminal in the person of Former National Chairman Julius Abure 

We aligned ourselves with the position of all well-meaning Nigerians and those in the Diaspora for the kudos accorded to INEC for painstaking effort in the conduct of the 2023 elections across the country with remarkable achievements.

Labour Party under the Leadership of our supreme Court recognize National Chairman Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa led executives are proud of your achievements as the National Chairman of the Commission and the success recorded so far by the Commission under your leadership 

Furthermore, the Labour Party have since filed a notice of discountenance before the Court of Appeal Lagos state since we did not authorize Chief Umeh Kalu SAN to file an appeal in the first instance and also to serve as a deterrent measure and guide against future illegal and dubious representation without approval 

Finally, this PRESS statement is a vote of confidence passed on INEC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN Prof MAHMOOD YAKUBU by the National Chairman of the Labour Party Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa and the National Working Committee"