The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) led by Lamidi Apapa has warned the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the governor-elect of Abia State, Alex Otti and elected legislators on the party’s platform to steer clear of the suspended National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
In a statement obtained by News About Nigeria and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, the Apapa-led faction accused the Abure-led NWC, in collaboration with non-members of the party’s NEC, including Peter Obi, of pushing for the suspension of members of the NWC in a meeting scheduled to hold in Asaba on Tuesday.
Arabambi cautioned that such an action would amount to contempt of court and that all parties involved risk jail term, especially when Abure and those to preside at the meeting have been restrained by court and are currently facing criminal charges.
The statement revealed that Abure has planned an emergency National Executive Meeting (NEC) scheduled to hold in Asaba on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. The meeting is expected to carry out the illegal suspension of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party by the same suspended NWC members led by Abure, who is currently facing criminal charges in court.
Last week, Abure and his executives went against a restraining order of an Abuja High Court as a result of indictment by the Inspector General of Police through the DIG Force CID for forgery, perjury, and impersonation in suit number CV/2930/2023 to conduct a parallel screening for governorship candidates of Labour Party from Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi States when screening was ongoing at the party’s national headquarters.
Abure and his gang have reportedly gathered some senators-elect, house of representatives members-elect of Labour Party, who have not been inaugurated and are also not members of NEC for the meeting to take an illegal decision against the party’s constitution.
The statement reiterated that holding a NEC meeting under the Abure leadership when the court has restrained them from the role of the national chairman and national secretary would be a direct affront and insult to the presiding Judge Hon Justice H MUAZU order as granted on the 5th day of April 2023.
The NWC called on the party’s presidential candidate, elected officials, and members of the party to uphold the tenets of the rule of law and distance themselves from the suspended national chairman and his illegal actions.
The statement emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law, especially for elected officials who got their mandates on the trust of a new Nigeria of uprightness. The party warned that any contempt proceedings filed against the presidential candidate, elected officials, and members who proceed with the plan would result in a jail term.
The statement urged all members of the Labour Party to respect the rule of law and the constitution of the party to avoid any illegal actions that could tarnish the party’s image and credibility.
