The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barr. Julius Abure has said he would institute legal action against a factional chieftain of the party, Abayomi Arabambi for defamation.

Abure said this in a press statement where he advised members of the Labour Party and unsuspecting members of the public to avoid the Apapa led renegade group as they lacked any locus to represent the Party.

Abure said this in a statement where he asked the public to deal with the authentic Labour Party led by his Executive.

The statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Pastor Obiora Ifoh reads in part: “Abayomi Arabambi will be sued in his personal capacity for misinforming the people and maligning my character, when he alleged that, the signature of a judge was forged and that I have never practiced law in Nigeria and therefore calling to question my certification as a lawyer.”

Speaking on the alleged forensic report, LP’s National Chairman emphasised, that, in the case of Splendor Eze Oko and the case of Murphy Imansuen, the police investigation report, legal advice and forensic report had stated clearly that “I never forged the signature of any candidate.”

The National Chairman of the Labour Party said: “If we single out the case in FCT, the case in FCT was an interim order and based on the rules of the FCT High Court, that court order no longer has life after seven day.

“In the instance case, it has lapsed except it is extended or renewed and it is not to our knowledge that it is renewed.

“You must also note that FCT High Court itself by Justice Muazu has stayed the proceedings and the order since their appeal has been entered in the Court of Appeal.

“The Court of Appeal has equally also stayed the order and the proceedings in the FCT High Court pending the hearing and determination of a matter at the Court of Appeal.

“All these point to the fact that the interim order has no life anymore. Arising from Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa gubernatorial elections during which the Apapa faction threw up some candidates and attempted to use the courts to smuggle their candidates to the ballot.

“All the courts, from the tribunal to the Federal High Courts including state high court, up to the Supreme Court have all held that Apapa didn’t have locus standi to conduct primary let alone putting up such candidates for any election.

“It is for this reason only the candidates nominated by NWC led by me participated in the elections of Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States. Consequently all controversies relating to leadership of the party are laid to rest,” he added.

The National Chairman of the Labour Party, said issues bordering on factions in the party have been laid to rest by the judgment of the Supreme Court which emphatically stated that a dissident group led by a former Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa lacks the locus to act on behalf of the party, including to throw up candidates for election.

Abure also clarified that while a Federal High Court in Benin and the Court of Appeal have since delivered judgements which recognise him as the substantive national chairman of the Labour Party, the interim order by an FCT High Court which Apapa and his cohorts have been relying on, no longer have life after seven days based on Order 43, rule 3, sub rule 2 of the civil procedure rules.

“Any person who goes around in the name of Labour Party, other than the Abure-led National Executive is illegal, is unconstitutional, is against the law and the person does so at his peril because the person stands the risk of contempt of court.

“We believe very strongly that these people are still acting because they want to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. I am using this opportunity to warn right thinking members of the society of the community of Nigeria and outside not to have any dealings with Apapa and his so-called executives,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)

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