LP crisis festers as party insists on Abure as chairman, factional leader rejects suspension

The Deputy National Secretary of the Labour Party, Kennedy Ahanotu, declared on Wednesday Barr. Julius Abure, remains the party national chairman.

Ahanotu, who stated this when he featured in a Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today, said no court of competent jurisdiction has said that Abure committed any crime.

He insisted that the Labour Party in the South-West has “failed woefully” under the factional leader of the party, Lamidi Apapa.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on April 5 restrained Abure, the LP National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim, and two others from parading themselves as the party’s national officers.

Other affected persons are the party’s National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu, and Oluchi Opara, the National Treasurer.

Justice Hamza made the order while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by one James Onoja.

The petitioner alleged that the quartet forged several court documents to carry out a series of substitutions during the last elections.

Following the order, Apapa, who was the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), was appointed the acting national chairman.

However, the LP National Working Committee (NEC) on Tuesday suspended Apapa and five others for alleged anti-party activities.

READ ALSO: NLC declares support for LP chairman, Abure

They were accused of running of parallel leadership and putting the party in total disrepute.

Ahanotu said: “Personally to me, the courts have not given any verdict against Abure. There is no court of competent jurisdiction that has said that Abure has committed a particular crime.

“So, to me, Julius Abure is still the National Chairman of the party, and I want you to know this, they said the man seated there has accused Abure that police is looking for him, and I am aware Julius Abure has gone to police stations.

“He has gone to Commissioner of Police office. He has gone to IG’s office, and he asked them are they looking for me? And nobody told him, the Police is looking for him.”

Apapa, who was also at the forum, insisted that he was the legitimate leader of the LP.

He also rejected his suspension by the party’s NWC for anti-party activities.

He said: “I was not suspended. I was not invited to the NEC meeting. They think that I was not supposed to be there. As of today, I’m the only legitimate acting national chairman of the party.

“I’m not struggling with Abure. I’m there in an acting capacity. The constitution of the party is so clear on this, that for whatever reason if the national chairman is unable to perform his role, the deputy takes over. That is exactly what has happened.

“Nobody is sponsoring me. Nobody has suspended me. I remain the acting national chairman of the party. I maintain that.”

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