Labour Party in Cartoonish Showdown: 2023 Election Appeal Court Ruling Had to Translate?

Labour Party factions, led by Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa, are in sharp disagreement regarding a recent ruling by the Appeal Court in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, which took place on Thursday.

Disputed Leadership: Contrasting Claims in Labour Party’s Chairman Battle

Apapa and his supporters contend that the court upheld their candidate as the legitimate chairman, thereby dismissing Abure as the National Chairman. However, the Abure-led faction of the Labour Party refutes these assertions, dismissing them as misinformation.

Reports from Apapa’s faction suggest that the Appeal Court not only confirmed Apapa’s leadership but also invalidated the gubernatorial and other candidates backed by Abure’s National Working Committee. In response, the Labor Party‘s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, issued a statement in Abuja contradicting the narrative presented by Apapa’s camp.

Clarification on Court of Appeal’s Decision

Ifoh clarified, “The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, convened in Abuja on Thursday, August 24, 2023, dismissed the appeal filed by Mr. Basil Maduka, who was vying for the LP’s gubernatorial candidacy for Imo State. The court emphasized that the trial court’s decision was in favor of the Labour Party, rendering the appeal unnecessary. The court also stressed that the remarks made by the trial judge do not constitute a judgment and should be disregarded.”

He further stated that the Labour Party had petitioned the Court of Appeal to invalidate the comments made by the trial court in the Federal High Court in Owerri. The party asserted that Senator Athan Achonu emerged as the winner of the party’s primaries.

Ifoh criticized Apapa’s faction for distorting the clear verdict of the appellate court and emphasized that neither the Federal High Court in Owerri nor the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued any orders apart from dismissing the plaintiff (Basil Maduka) due to a lack of legal standing.

As a result of this Court of Appeal judgment, along with the endorsements of Senator Achonu by notable figures such as Peter Obi, Alex Otti (Governor of Abia State), Julius Abure (Labour Party National Chairman), and other stakeholders, the dispute over the gubernatorial ticket has been settled. Senator Achonu has received the party’s governorship flag and has officially launched his campaign in Owerri.

Legal Battles Over Labour Party Leadership: Dual Rulings and Calls for Unity

It’s worth noting that a separate case recently took place in Benin City, where the Court of Appeal confirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. The court ruled that the suspension and subsequent actions against Abure by a single individual were null and void, and that only the party as a whole could enact such decisions.

In light of these developments, the Labour Party is urging its members, loyal supporters, and the general public to distance themselves from these splintered and compromised elements within the party who have been ousted.