Supreme Court Judgment: Persecution of our leaders begins- Labour Party

● Cites APC’s submission of a petition to the NBA against party Chairman Julius Abure and presidential spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo

[Press Statement] Nigerians will recall that in our press statement on Thursday, the 26th day of October, that the Labour Party alerted the nation that aftermath of the judgement of the Supreme Court on the presidential election, that we have it on good authourity that some key leaders of the Labour Party have been earmarked for vilification and persecution.

In that statement, we alleged that the planned persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment of our leaders will be enforced using security agencies and all other government institutions.

Today, the leadership of the Labour Party was confronted by a petition submitted by the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, a unit under the Nigerian Bar Association against our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure and the spokesperson of the Obi Datti Presidential Council, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo.

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In the statement making round, the APC scribe revealed that they have taken action by submitting a petition to the NBA for the purpose of requesting disciplinary action against Julius Abure and Kenneth Okonkwo for their comments against the Supreme Court judgment which he said was negative and unacceptable.

The Labour Party views this action by the APC, less that three days after the Supreme Court judgment as a confirmation of what we have been told on a good authourity that the Labour Party leadership will be subjected to persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment.

We made bold to say that every court judgments especially on political matters are subject to criticism and administrative review. That all authorities in Nigeria including the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria derived their strength and authority from the people. Therefore, all authourity in Nigeria is subject to public opinion and oversight.

Again, it must be noted that all those statements were made at the heat of the moment and were not delivered on their personal capacities as legal practitioners. They were purely political statements delivered in their capacities as the National Chairman of the Labour Party as well as as the spokesperson of the Obi Datti Presidential Council.

Probably, the APC leadership had not been lectured to know that once a judgement is delivered, comments coming afterwards are no longer considered sub judice. Such judgements are critiqued and subjected to researches and for further academic purposes. Several other Nigerians, including notable legal luminaries have also expressed their opinions on the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement.

Therefore, for APC to isolate our leaders for vilification and over stretching the matter has confirmed all the fears that we have earlier expressed that our party leadership will be facing unnecessary intimidation. We are alsk aware that several other trump up allegations have been concluded against our leadership however, we are using this forum to call on Nigerians to brace up for some of these anti democratic actions that are beginning to ensue this early under this government. We have said that the government will be very dictatorial and if they succeed in vilifying political parties especially, the opposition leaders it thus mean that democracy will be seriously bruised and compromised.

We also call on every democratic fronts in Nigeria to rise up to this ugly and unfortunate development, and work towards protecting public opinion and human rights in Nigeria before they are fully compromised.

SIGNED
Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party
29-10-2023