Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and running-mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, have been pardoned for attending a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting organized by the Barr Julius Abure-led faction, held last month in Asaba, Delta State capital.
This followed by an earlier order issued by an Abuja High Court yesterday restraining the National Chairman of the LP, Julius Abure, National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
However, a State High Court sitting in Benin had issued an order restraining LP and all its members from any suspension or purported suspension of its national officers till the determination of motion on notice.
The pardon was announced on Wednesday in Bauchi during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held by the Bashiru Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) held at the Sulgad Hotel in Bauchi.
According to a communique issued at the end of the NEC meeting, the factional leadership of the LP stated that one of the major resolutiona of the NEC was pardoning and forgiving its 2023 Presidential candidate, Peter Obi and the Vice Presidential Candidate, Yusuf Datti for attending what it tagged an illegal NEC meeting held on April 18 in Asaba, Delta state.
The 19 points communique was jointly signed by the Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, the acting National Secretary, Alh. Saleh Lawan but read by Mr Arabambi Abayomi, the National Publicity Secretary.
Other members pardoned by the NEC included; Mr Alex Otti, the Governor-elect of Abia State, all the Senators and State Assembly members elected on the platform of the Labour Party for attending the NEC meeting organised by the restrained Barr. Julius Abure.
In the communique, the factional LP leadership stated that its Principal and others that participated in the meeting in Asaba, acted ignorantly and was a contempt of the FCT High Court’s Restraining order.
The communique further contained that NEC in session believes in the rule of law and shall continue to stand with our presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to see to the successful reclaiming of our stolen mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal while noting that we will not be a Party to any unlawful act to cause a change of democratic administration violently as anticipated by Barr Julius Abure and his cohorts.
NEC in session, therefore, appealed to the judiciary to at all times be on the part of the people by promoting acts that enhance democracy, rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom of expression and speech by upholding the doctrine of separation of powers.
The NEC in session also sympathized with Nigerians who have continued to wallow in poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor infrastructure and underdevelopment inflicted by leadership incompetence.
It therefore, reassured Nigerians that the imminent Labour Party Federal Government when in place, after the presidential election petition tribunal mandate recovery, shall change these ugly narratives for the best.
According to the communique, “The NEC in Session approved the appointment of the following National Working Committee members, earlier approved by the NWC.
“Mr. Michael Auta as the Deputy National Chairman, Martins Egbanubi as the National Vice Chairman, North Central, Hon. Shina Aroyeun as the National Vice Chairman, South West, Mr. Oboghor Anthony as the National Vice Chairman South South.”
Also approved are: “Dr. Olatunbosun Oswald who is now the National Auditor, Ismaila Ishaku is the Deputy National Secretary, Barr. Monday Mawah as the Deputy National Secretary, Hajia Rahila Ibrahim now the Deputy National Women Leader, among others,”.
Recall that a FCT High Court, on April 5, issued an order restraining Julius Abure from parading himself as the national Chairman of the Labour Party.
The court also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, National Secretary, Clement Ojukwu, National Organising Secretary and Oluchi Opara, treasurer, from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
(Courtesy, excluding headline, Tribune)
