The leadership of the Labour Party has expressed concerns that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is making efforts to obstruct their pursuit of regaining the mandate of their suspended House of Representatives candidate, Amobi Ogah. This alarm was raised following a clash between two INEC lawyers at the appellate court in Lagos.
The Labour Party has appealed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to investigate and promptly address the issue. INEC had initially declared Ogah as the winner of the Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency election, with 11,769 votes, as opposed to the 8,752 votes garnered by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who now serves as the Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
However, a National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Umuahia nullified Ogah’s election on September 6, ruling that he had not complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act. Ogah had argued that Onyejeocha’s acceptance of a ministerial appointment indicated that she had abandoned her petition, but the tribunal dismissed his submission.
Confusion arose during the appeal hearing when two lawyers appeared, each claiming to represent INEC. The Labour Party, alarmed by this incident, penned an open letter to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, expressing concern about the situation. The party believes that this may be a deliberate attempt by INEC to hinder their efforts to reclaim Ogah’s mandate.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, explained that the unexpected legal dispute had the potential to stall the appeal proceedings and disrupt their candidate’s appeal. The party called on INEC to investigate the situation and take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the commission is maintained.
The Labour Party also expressed concern about the presence of expelled party members at the court who were seen fraternizing with members of the ruling party. They suspect that the court drama may have been stage-managed to embarrass their candidate. The party urged INEC to protect its image and integrity by addressing the issue promptly.
