By Martin Cole–
The Nigerian police is investigating allegation of forgery by a barrister, who is also the national chairman of the Labour party of which popular presidential candidate Peter Obi is a member.
Abure and his national executive allegedly forged withdrawal letters and sworn court affidavits on oath, which were submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, to replace candidates who primary elections with their preferred candidates, who might have paid to get the tickets.
Certified True Copies of the police investigation report on the alleged forgery and perjury of the Voluntary Withdrawal Letter of Oko from contesting the governorship election in Ebonyi state submitted to INEC presented to reporters reveals that Oko’s signature was forged. It was also noted that he did not write the said letter of withdrawal.
On Thursday night, Nigerian cops invaded the secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja, pulling down the fence, burglaries, doors and windows. The accused man attributed the attack to conspiratorial acts by the APC.
The allegation highlights the typical level of corruption that continues to engulf Nigerian politics, a country where money has become the god of many o the elites at the expense of the common man. A number of people have accused the chairman of earning an extortionate amount of money through the abuse to his position as party national chairman, which he allegedly used at the expense of other legitimate candidates for various contested election political posts.
Labour Party is in further crisis after a court in Benin overturned an earlier judgement the same day by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory confirming the removal of the national chairman, Julius Abure.
The High Court had issued an order, restraining Mr. Julius Abure from presenting himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP on Thursday, but was reversed within 24 hours in another part of the country.
The original ruling delivered by Justice Hamza Muazu, equally barred Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Oluchi Opara and Clement Ojukwu, from further functioning as National Secretary, National Treasurer and National Organising Secretary of the party. Barely 24 hours had passed before another court ruling in the eastern part of the country in Benin, reversed the earlier. court decision
Julius Abure was suspended for alleged anti party activities after a restraining order followed an ex-parte application brought before the court by eight aggrieved members of the party, accusing him of fraudulent activities.
At a press conference, Martins Osigbemhe, the Ward Chairman, said Abure was suspended by the executive, pending the determination of the numerous petitions and cases against him in courts.
Arabambi, who claimed that he was illegally removed through a coup orchestrated by Abure and the National Secretary, Umar Farouk, stated that the chairman grossly violated the provisions of the party Constitution by enriching himself fraudulently and denying candidates their tickets.
Abure allegedly promised Imasuen attractive offers and said he would be refunded any amount he had spent on his aspiration supporters were also promised different positions in the party. He is said to have presided over a few dodgy deals at the expense of legitimate candidates for various political posts.
Ruling on the ex parte application filed by G.C Igbokwe, SAN, Justice E. Ahamioje issued the restraining order on Wednesday before it was overturned.
Controversy
The National Chairman has long been at the centre of controversy in his party.
In November 2022, it was revealed that Barrister Julius Abure submitted forged court documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission in his move to make a former Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon. Uyinmwen Ativie, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon federal constituency in the state.
The next month, he was accused of stealing N40 million fraud levelled against its National Chairman, Julius Abure, by diverting the proceeds of party nomination forms into his private transport company account. Though cleared by the National Working Committee, Abure ‘s critics say the heavy loot he steals through bribery affords him a lot o success in many of the shady investigations against him.
Chairmen today from 36 states converged in Benin to lend their support to the national chairman noting that the opposition political parties are using few bad eggs in the LP who have left the party, to cause disaffection between the party and it’s supporters.
Some insiders told The Eye Of Media.Com that as a result of ill-gotten gains of the national chairman, he is able to garner plenty of support., adding that it does not add anything to his credibility, which is reportedly in tartars.
The crisis said to be rocking the party is a negative reflection on their presidential candidate, Peter Obi who ought to be able to put the party in order
Abure attempted to accuse the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the plot, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to “call his party, the APC to order and also rein them in from using unorthodox means to suffocate political structures in Nigeria”.
“We advise the Police, APC, and their sponsors to play by the rules. We will no longer tolerate the often intimidation and deployment of brute forces against the party and its personnel,” the statement added.
“We demand they put a stop to the abuse of power and respect the rights and privileges of other political parties, particularly, the Labour Party to contest for power.”
However, his latest troubles come from within his fractured party which has struggled to be united throughout the presidential and governorship election period.
Signs of division in the party was first sparked when the national chairman dissolved the executive of the Labour party.
Abure suddenly dissolved the executive party in February for gross anti-party activities and corruption in the management of Labour Party funds. The state council then endorsed the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Sim Fubara- a strange move indicative if anti party activities.
Within 24 hours, Abure’s actions were said to have been unlawful because he had not sought authourity from senior leaders of the party.
National chairman Julius Abure in a statement at the time said the council was dissolved for gross anti-party activities and corruption in the management of Labour Party funds. A few hours earlier, the state council had oddly endorsed the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Sim Fubara,- a clear sign of anti party activity.
Abure himself has been accused of being in bed with powerful APC influencers, the same party he accuses of colluding against him.
The barrister has