…By Joseph Benjamin for TDPel Media.
The Labour Party (LP) has recently accused Lamidi Apapa, a factional leader within the party, of obtaining a fraudulent judgment against the party’s governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu.
In a statement, the LP condemned Apapa and his faction for their history of securing what they referred to as “backdoor judgments.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, criticized Apapa’s group for spreading falsehoods, misinformation, and causing harm to the party.
Alleged Fraudulent Judgment:
The LP expressed its disappointment with the judgment passed against their candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, in the November governorship election in Imo State.
They claimed that the judgment was fraudulently obtained by Apapa’s suspended members, prompting the party to instruct their legal team to appeal the decision immediately.
The LP firmly believed that the judgment lacked credibility and would not withstand the scrutiny of the Court of Appeal.
Pattern of Backdoor Judgments:
According to the LP, this was not the first instance of such a backdoor judgment.
They previously alerted Nigerians, particularly their party members, to the activities of Apapa and his renegade followers.
The party claimed that Apapa’s group had been searching for courts that would favor their interests and had previously obtained a similar judgment in Kano State against their party and the elected governor of Abia State.
The LP accused them of persisting in their malicious agenda, leading to this latest judgment in Bayelsa State, even disregarding territorial jurisdiction requirements.
Violation of Fair Hearing:
The LP argued that the fraudulently procured judgment went against the principles of fair hearing enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
They emphasized that the party’s candidate was not involved in the lawsuit and was unaware of the ongoing litigation.
The LP alleged that Apapa’s cronies had manipulated the legal proceedings by posing as both defendants and petitioners, thereby deceiving the candidate.
As a result, the LP remained confident that the judgment would be overturned, as it contradicted both the Court of Appeal’s standards and constitutional principles.
Conclusion:
The Labour Party condemned Lamidi Apapa and his faction for securing a fraudulent judgment against their governorship candidate in Imo State.
They accused Apapa’s group of engaging in a pattern of obtaining backdoor judgments to serve their own interests.
The LP vowed to appeal the judgment and expressed confidence that it would not withstand scrutiny in the Court of Appeal or align with constitutional principles.