Labour Party Crisis: Court stops Abure, others from parading as national excos
…. how the restrained national officers allegedly forged several documents
….. there are widespread complaints of criminal activities against the four principal officers
…Warrants for the arrest of Abure, three others, have already been obtained
… the officers lacked vires, moral and legal standing to lead the party
The crisis of confidence rocking the national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new dimension as a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, restrained the national chairman of the party, Mr Julius Abure, national secretary, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Others stopped from parading themselves as national officers are the national organising secretary, Mr Clement Ojukwu and the national treasurer, Oluchi Opara.
Justice Hamza Muazu issued the restraining order on Wednesday in Abuja while ruling in an ex-parte application argued by Chief James Ogwu Onoja, SAN.
Onoja had in the application informed the court how the restrained national officers allegedly forged several documents of the FCT High Court to carry out unlawful substitutions of candidates in the last general elections for pecuniary gains.
Among the documents of the court allegedly forged were the receipts, seal and affidavits used to carry out criminal activities.
The lawyer who tendered several documents confirmed to the judge that the Chief Registrar of the court upon enquiry wrote the Labour Party to disclaim several documents used for the alleged criminal activities by Abure and the three others.
Onoja said that following the widespread complaints of criminal activities against the four principal officers, Police were invited for investigation and that in the police report, the four officers were severely indicted and are to be arraigned in court.
Warrants for their arrest, he affirmed, have already been obtained.
Among the exhibits attached to the ex-parte application are certified true copy of the police report, certified true copy of the letter by the Chief Registrar of the FCT High Court disclaiming documents used by the four principal officers to carry out the alleged unlawful substitutions of candidates.
The lawyer also tendered resolutions of the ward executive committees of the defendants passing votes of no confidence on them and suspending their respective membership of the party.
With their indictment for criminal activities, the senior lawyer told the court that the four principal officers lacked vires, moral and legal standing to lead the party as their continued stay in office would continue to damage the reputation, integrity and goodwill of the party.
In a brief ruling, Justice Muazu held that the application and the supporting affidavits as well as the exhibits have made out a good case for the restraining order to be granted.
The judge subsequently ordered that the four defendants should immediately stop parading themselves as national officers of the Labour Party.
Justice Muazu subsequently fixed April 17 for the motion on notice to be heard.
