The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure remains the authentic leader of the party despite a court ruling.
In a statement by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, NLC said the judgement was founded on “unfounded/unproven and highly speculative and malicious allegations of corruption, perjury and forgery by elements whose interest in the party could best be described as doubtful or dubious”.
On Wednesday, an Abuja court stooped Abure from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
He was barred alongside the National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim; the National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara; and the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu, over alleged forgery.
The next day, seven members of the National Working Committee of the party announced the National Vice-Chairman (South), Mr Lamidi Bashir Apapa as the acting chairman of the party, replacing the suspended chairman.
But Ajaero alleged that the decapitation of the leadership of the party is to distract it from its fight to reclaim its victories at the polls.
He urged the court to exercise utmost caution in entertaining frivolous suits and spurious prayers from mercenary party members.
Part of the statement reads: “We are alarmed by the decision of Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja via exparte to suspend from office the National Chairman, the National Secretary, National Treasurer, and the Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Messrs Julius Abure, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu and Opara respectively.
“The court order according to Justice Hamza Muazu is to subsist “pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction”.
The ruling was sequel to a motion exparte filed along the substantive suit by eight members of the party, including the chairman of Abure’s ward.
Ajaero further said: “We view the decapitation of the leadership of the party with great suspicion which cannot be far from the intent to weaken the party from within or distract it from its fight to reclaim its victories at the polls.
“In light of this, we urge the courts to exercise utmost caution in entertaining frivolous suits and spurious prayers from mercenary party members as they are capable of compromising the integrity of the courts.
“Accordingly, our courts are advised to refrain from taking decisions which portray them as having descended into the arena, or worse still, make them picketable.
“On our part, the grounds for suspending the quartet, either in the courtroom or outside it, are not there even as mischievous forces orchestrate evil. The quartet, therefore, remains executives of the party. In light of the foregoing, we invite the honourable court to review its decision forthwith”.
