Protect Nigeria’s Democracy, Labour Party Begs Judiciary

The Julious Abure-led Labour Party has appealed to the Nigerian judiciary to continue to uphold justice and protect the nation’s democracy from the antics of those seeking to destroy it by deceiving judges into handing down frivolous judgments.

Action National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, made the plea in a statement in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said the attention of the Leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a statement made by the party’s former acting National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi which he explained suggests that some “disloyal former members “ of the party led by rebellious former Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa are going round the Northern States to drive for membership.

He also noted that the statement in question alleged among other things, that the party leader and Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi as well as the leadership of the party, allegedly mismanaged the fortunes of the party.

Ifoh said,  “This statement by Apapa is another attempt to misinform and hoodwink Nigerians on their real reasons for embarking on another fruitless voyage of which their forerunner, the suspended former National Legal Adviser, Samuel Akingbade, did embark a fortnight ago leading to the procurement of the Kano black market judgement last week.

“Labour Party sources who have been monitoring the clandestine movement of Akingbade and his team have informed us that the former Legal Adviser has visited three states in the North as at today, moving from one court to the other, shopping for a judge who will give them an injunction in order to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to recognize them.

“They have visited three judges in the North who have all turned down their requests.

“They are still prowling the Northern states with enough liquidity at their disposal to influence the legal officers but we can confirm that as at today, none of the judges approached have agreed to their tempting offers.

“We therefore commend the judges who have refused their offers, and who are insisting that justice can not be bought.

“Not withstanding the unfortunate incident in Kano Federal High court last week where they deceived the judge to enter a judgement against Labour Party, we are happy that their motives was not defeated but also the clarification of His Lordship, that his judgement was misinterpreted to mean a blanket punishment against all elected members of the party across Nigeria was heart warming. Labour Party has also swiftly applied for notice of appeal. We believe that justice will also be dispensed accordingly.

“We use this opportunity to call on the judiciary to be up and doing, and to be on notice of the plots of these anti democratic elements to derail our thriving democracy.

“ We also call on the Chief Justice of the Federation and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to advice judges under them not to allow the name of the judiciary to be dragged into the mud by desperate politicians.

“The judiciary has a duty to protect our democracy and we believe that this arm of government has done well but can still do more until the likes of Apapa and his cohorts are properly caged in accordance with the law and are made to pay for the injury and pains they have continued to inflict on our democracy.”