1. Faction kicks, vows to upturn judgment of lower court on appeal

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the names of the Julius Abure-led executive of the Labour Party from its portal following its sack by the Federal High Court.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja yesterday.

The party described the decision by the commission as “strange,” vowing to protest it.

It said that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja as well as the removal of the names of its executive from INEC’s portal will not deter its plans to put up a strong show in the 2027 general election.

The party vowed to ensure that the judgment of the lower court is upturned at the Appeal Court.

The party called on Nigerians to rise against the strangulation and monetisation of democracy in the country by a few power-drunks in the country, warning that Nigeria may be heading for the precipice if the inordinate ambitions of some politicians are not checked.

The statement said: “Some persons who are applauding the impunity by some politicians should retrace and do some introspection, because this was how in the past they applauded injustice in our democracy because they were beneficiaries.

“At the end of the day when their enthroned leaders began to abuse power, they started complaining.

“For us in Labour Party, our faith is strong that the appellate court will do the right thing and therefore we advise our members to remain calm. We will continue with the struggle to take our party from the godfather.

“Labour Party is a party that is based on social democracy where no one man is permitted to appoint everybody.

“It is against the principles of the party that one man will sit at a place and gather everybody and appoint everybody from the National Working Committee to the state, down to the ward executive.

“That is impunity of the highest order. This, I believe, negates the principles of the party.

“If we say there is no party ideology in Nigeria, this is how it starts.

“We are very sure that it will be quashed on appeal.

“The celebration of the Abia state governor, Alex Otti, Nenadi Usman and their cohorts on the appearance of their names on the INEC portal will be short-lived.

“It is for a short time. Their victory is pyrrhic and there is nothing to celebrate because the doomsday is closer than they will imagine; which I believe will be very catastrophic for them.

“Moreover, it is very clear that the appointment of the caretaker committee did not go through the normal procedure. Proper notice was not given in line with the party constitution and the electoral act.”