In a recent development, the Court of Appeal in Owerri has nullified the governorship primary elections held under the watch of the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure. This ruling has led the Independent National Electoral Commission to be directed to acknowledge the governorship candidates endorsed by the Lamidi Apapa-led National Working Committee in the states of Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi.
Furthermore, Senator Athan Achonu’s candidacy for the forthcoming Imo State governorship election has been dismissed by the appellate court.
Lamidi Apapa, in an interaction with the media, emphasized that this judgment confirms the irregularity in Abure’s leadership role during the primaries. He referenced a standing order from the Federal High Court that restricts Abure from representing himself as the chairman of the Labour Party.
However, there have been instances of the court order being overlooked, as highlighted by Apapa, referring to actions by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during a recent rally.
Refuting the claims, Julius Abure labeled the reports as “fabricated” and expressed confidence in Senator Athan Achonu as their preferred candidate. The Labour Party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk, reinforced Abure’s stance, stating that the appellate court’s ruling did not directly reference Abure, suggesting a potential misinterpretation of the judgment.
