The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, May 12, 2023 gave the Julius Abure led-executive committee of the party a stamp of official recognition amidst leadership crisis in the Party (LP).
This indication came to light as the commission published the names and particulars of candidates produced by Abure-led faction for the scheduled November 11, 2023 Governorship election in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states.
INEC upheld and published the name of Mr. Udengs Eradiri as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party for Bayelsa State, Mr. Okeme Adejoh for Kogi State and Mr. Athan Nneji for Imo State. The trio are all members of the Abure-led executive committee of the Labour Party.
The Commission while according recognition to the mainstream leadership led by Julius Abure, it totally ignored the Lamidi Apapa-led faction laying claim to the leadership of the Labour Party.
Abure, who is the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party is being challenged by Lamidi Apapa whose members of the Party are accusing him of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC), to destabilise the Labour Party.
While the Party primary for the Governorship tickets conducted by Abure-led executive committee was monitored by officials of INEC, those conducted by the Apapa-led team did not have any official of the Electoral Commission as demanded by the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
On the other hand, all the candidates produced by the Apapa-faction of the Party namely Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu for Imo, Col. Vincent Enemona Abu for Kogi and Chief Diekivie Ikiogha for Bayelsa were all rejected by INEC.
Basking from the euphoria of the recognition accorded him by INEC, the embattled PL National Chairman, Abure has declared that he would appeal the ruling of FCT High Court’s refusal to decline jurisdiction over the allegation of forgery preferred against him by the Lamidi Apapa Faction.
Abure, who stated this when he received in audience, members of a Civil Society Organisation on the aegis of ‘Vote Must International Initiative, specifically said that he does not believe that the Party and himself can get justice with the trial judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Hamza Muazu.
He stressed that the Court of Appeal would look at the case dispassionately and without bias with a view of giving him and the Labour Party the needed justice over the leadership crisis rocking the party.
