The Labour Party (LP) has issued a call to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stand firm against any compromise.
This was contained in an open letter addressed to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, on Friday.
Obiora Ifoh, the LP’s national publicity secretary, emphasised that Nigerians are counting on the electoral commission.
Ifoh stated that during Thursday’s ongoing court of appeal hearing regarding the LP’s lawsuit challenging the nullification of Amobi Ogah as the lawmaker representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency, two lawyers appeared as defendants representing INEC.
The LP alleged that the change of legal representatives without prior notification to all parties involved was a strategic move orchestrated by the commission.
They added that it was in collaboration with the party’s opponents to delay proceedings in court and undermine the LP candidate’s appeal.
Ifoh said:
“Mr Chairman sir, we, therefore, bring to your notice an ugly incident that happened yesterday, 19th day of October, 2023 at Lagos State, venue of the Appeal Court on the Appeal No. CA/OW/HR/AB/06/2023 between the Labour Party candidate, Hon. Amobi Ogah, the plaintiff, and the All Progressives Congress candidate, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, the Respondent. INEC is also a Respondent in that matter”.
“Hon. Ogah of the Labour Party contested and won with a large margin the Federal House of Representatives seat for Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, but his victory was annulled at the Election Tribunal, hence the resolve to approach the Appellate Court.
“Sir, what played out yesterday, 19th day of October, 2023, was unbelievable, hence we call on you to nip the development in the bud to avoid a messy situation. INEC had engaged a Senior Counsel, J.O. Asoluka (SAN), as its lawyer with a letter of authorisation to represent the commission.
“But at the commencement of the hearing at the Appeal Court, another lawyer surfaced with another letter of authority to take over the case of the selfsame INEC without prior notice to J.O Asoluka (SAN), that the new counsel had been engaged.
“They also did not see any need to inform the Plaintiff of the development as required by law. When the matter thus came up, a squabble ensued between the two counsels as to who had the authority of INEC to represent it in the case.
“Conspicuously present at the venue of the Appeal Court were some expelled members of the Labour Party under the headship of Lamidi Apapa. Also present were some leaders of the APC who openly fraternised with the Apapa cohorts and who were openly boasting that they would purchase judgment at all costs. They also attempted unsuccessfully to hijack the legal representation of the Labour Party.
“Chairman sir, it has now dawned on us that the change of legal guard without properly notifying the interested parties was carefully orchestrated by the Commission in alliance with our opponents to stall proceedings at the Court of Appeal and frustrate our candidate’s appeal that was due for hearing on Thursday.”
The LP also called on INEC to investigate the incident that happened at the court and sanction any erring official.
Ifoh added:
“We are raising this alarm because time is of the essence, even though, the collaborators achieved their intentions as the appeal could not be heard and was adjourned by the court to enable INEC to put its house in order and determine who of the two counsels has her authority to represent her in the appeal”.
“We are therefore using this platform to urge you to investigate the inglorious roles which the legal department of the commission is playing and sanction erring officials.
“The role of INEC in this matter is simply to defend the outcome of the election which it conducted and on which it declared Hon. Amobi Ogah as the duly elected candidate to represent Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.
“The Commission must reject any semblance of compromise. Nigerians are still looking up to it to redeem its image in, the aftermath of the controversial 2023 general elections.
“It must not allow a few pliable members of the Commission to further taint the integrity of the commission.”
