Court Dismisses Apapa’s Motion Seeking to Replace LP Candidate

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed an ex-parte brought by Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) to stop Athan Achonu as governorship candidate of Saturday’s election in Imo.

In a ruling on Thursday, Justice Inyang Ekwo rejected the prayer of the plaintiffs for an order of interim injunction recognising their candidate, Chief Joseph Ukaegbu, as validly elected standard bearer of the party.

The development followed an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Mohammed (SAN) to the effect.

The judge directed Mohammed to put the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the sole defendant, on notice.

“I am going to allow you to adopt it (the motion) but I will not grant it. I am not granting you the application today as you have to bring them to court. Let it be that they have been served and they are not in court,” the judge said.

According to Justice Ekwo, I have studied the prayers on the motion ex-parte and also studied the averments in support.

“I think that I need to hear from the defendant (INEC) before making further Order on the motion,” he said, adjourning the matter until Friday for INEC to show cause.

Plaintiffs in the matter include Labour Party; Apapa (acting national chairman); Lawal Saleh (acting national secretary) and Comrade Abayomi Arabambi (national publicity secretary).

Others are Comrade Anslem Eragbe (national youth leader); and Barr. Akingbade Oyelekan (national legal adviser) and Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (gubernatorial candidate, Imo State) as 1st to 7th plaintiffs respectively.