Labour Party Factions Clash In Court Over Imo Candidate

On Thursday, two factions within the Labour Party (LP) engaged in a war of words following a Federal High Court session in Abuja.

The court had just adjourned to consider an application seeking the withdrawal of a lawsuit against Athan Achonu, the LP’s gubernatorial candidate in the November 11 election in Imo.

Justice Inyang Ekwo postponed the hearing to January 11 after Kehinde Edun, representing the first plaintiff for the Labour Party (LP), informed the court that he was present to submit a discontinuance notice in the case.

When the proceedings resumed, Edun, who identified himself as the National Legal Adviser of LP, said, “On behalf of the 1st plaintiff, we want to inform the court that the 1st plaintiff was joined without authorisation.

“I am here to file a notice of discontinuance. We have no case against the defendant (Independent National Electoral Commission).”

Surprised by Edun’s statement, Anderson Asemota, who had been representing all the plaintiffs, including the first plaintiff (LP), expressed that the case was scheduled for a hearing.

Asemota mentioned that he had received a notice of joinder from Athan Achonu, the gubernatorial candidate in Imo, through his lawyer, Okwudili Anozie, who had earlier announced his appearance as a party seeking to be joined.

“The national legal adviser said the suit was filed without authorisation,” the judge told Asemota.

But Asemota said Edun was not the party’s national legal adviser.

The attorney mentioned that the national legal adviser had momentarily stepped out, and he indicated the presence of the national youth leader in court by pointing to a litigant who stood up for recognition.

Asemota asserted that the Labour Party (LP), which he was representing in court, had not informed him about the decision to discontinue the lawsuit. Furthermore, he stated that he had not received the notice Edun intended to file.

He contended that, as per procedural norms, Edun should have first sought to be involved in the matter by applying for a joinder before informing him of the intention to file a notice of discontinuance.

The judge then asked Edun if he had served Asemota with the application.

“I will serve them now,” Edun responded.

Consequently, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until January 11 to hear the notice of discontinuance.

Asemota represented the faction led by Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, whereas Edun appeared on behalf of the faction led by Julius Abure within the Labour Party (LP).

Following the court’s adjournment, a clash between factions ensued when members loyal to Apapa challenged Edun’s attempt to discontinue their lawsuit. This led to a heated exchange, prompting the intervention of the King’s Guard officers and court staff.

The plaintiffs in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1357/2023, consisted of LP; Alhaji Apapa (Acting National Chairman); Alhaji Lawal Saleh (Acting National Secretary); Comrade Abayomi Arabambi (National Publicity Secretary); Comrade Anslem Eragbe (National Youth Leader); Akingbade Oyelekan (National Legal Adviser); and Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Gubernatorial candidate, Imo State) as the 1st to 7th plaintiffs, respectively.

In their motion ex-parte, they sued INEC as the sole defendant, seeking an interim injunction to prevent INEC from recognising any other individual claiming the LP gubernatorial ticket in the Imo governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023, except Ukaegbu, who emerged from the primary conducted by the Lamidi Apapa-led National Working Committee (NWC) of LP on April 16.

The plaintiffs also requested a mandatory injunction directing INEC to recognise, upload, and publish Ukaegbu’s name as the LP gubernatorial candidate in Imo, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Additionally, they sought an order compelling INEC to upload Apapa and Saleh’s names as the acting national chairman and acting national secretary, along with other Apapa-led NWC members.

However, Justice Ekwo declined to grant the motion, instructing them to notify INEC and allow it to respond to why the court should not grant the application.

In response, INEC urged the court to dismiss Apapa’s motion seeking to replace the party’s governorship candidate in Imo. INEC argued in its affidavit that the plaintiffs’ suit was statute-barred.