Edited By Oduyemi Odumade
The Labour Party, LP, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mamood Yakub, to investigate the action of the legal department within the commission regarding the ongoing Appeal Court proceedings in the case involving the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Amobi Ogah, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Nkiruka Onyejeocha with INEC acting as the respondent.
The LP is seeking sanctions against any erring officials involved in this matter.
The concerns which were formally communicated through an open letter signed by LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Obiora Ifoh revolved around an incident that occured on the 19th day of October, 2023.
At the center of the issue is an unexpected change in legal representation by INEC at the Appeal Court, which took place without prior notice to the original counsel, J.O. Asoluka.
This unexpected alteration led to a dispute between the two legal representatives over who had the authority to represent INEC in the case.
The Labour Party alleges that this dispute “appears to have been orchestrated to stall the proceedings at the Court of Appeal.”
Additionally, the LP pointed out the presence of some expelled members of its party and certain leaders of the APC at the Appeal Court venue.
These individuals were allegedly attempting to interfere with the legal representation of the Labour Party and were openly boasting about influencing the judgment in their favor.
In part, the open letter to INEC Chairman Mamood Yakub reads, “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 with the intention to stall proceedings at the Court of Appeal and frustrate our candidate’s appeal that was due for hearing on Thursday.”
The LP stressed the urgency of the situation, and the fact that the appeal could not be heard, leading to an adjournment by the court, highlighting the need for INEC to clarify who has the authority to represent the commission in the appeal.
The open letter further emphasizes that INEC’s role in this matter is to defend the outcome of the election which it conducted and on which it declared Amobi Ogah as the duly-elected candidate to represent Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.
The LP called on INEC to maintain its integrity and not allow any compromise to taint its image in the aftermath of the controversial 2023 general election.
It says Nigerians are keenly observing the development as they unfold.
Edited By Grace Namiji
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