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“We’re Proud Of You” Apapa LP Faction Passes Vote Of Confidence On INEC
The Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has passed a vote of confidece on Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Abayomi Arabambi, spokesperson of the LP faction, in a statement on Saturday, said the party is proud of the “achievements” recorded by Yakubu and INEC during the 2023 polls.
The statement comes hours after the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP, in an open letter addressed to Yakubu, called on the electoral umpire to reject any form of compromise. In its reaction, the Apapa-led LP faction said the allegations against INEC were totally “unfortunate and unfounded”.
“Labour Party attention has been drawn to an open letter online addressed to you on frivolous allegations against your respected office and personality where the restrained Former National Chairman Julius ABURE media aides deliberately orchestrated bland and false narratives about the proceedings inside the court of Appeal, Igbosere, Lagos state, yesterday 19th October 2023 involving Labour Party and Hon NKEIRUKA ONYEJEOCHA ,INEC & 2 ORS in Appeal N0. CA/OW/HR/AB/05/2023,” the statement reads.
“Mr Chairman Sir, on the Julius Abure illegal LABOUR PARTY Allegations of INFAMY AND DISHONOUR against your commission is totally unfortunate and unfounded by those characters who ought to be ashamed of their past shameful actions against relevant electoral act of selling falsehood to the public rather than accepting the facts that the commission were responsible for their woes.
“Labour party knows that it’s the duty of the commission Legal department under the INEC Acts and constitution of Nigeria to brief and debrief any counsel of their choice, we are shocked that an association like a political party will want to usurp the constitutional rights of a Government establishment like INEC.
“It is, therefore, incongruous and antithetical to common sense to think that Labour party should be held accountable in collusion with INEC for such policy Legal Representation over which we have no legal responsibility to execute.
“We align ourselves with the position of all well meaning Nigerians and those in Diaspora for the kudos accorded to INEC for painstaking effort in the conduct of 2023 elections across the country with remarkable achievements.
“Labour party under the Leadership of our supreme Court recognize National Chairman Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa led executives are proud of your achievements as the National Chairman of the Commission and the success recorded so Far by the Commission under your leadership.
“Finally this PRESS statement is a vote of confidence pass on INEC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN Prof MAHMOOD YAKUBU by the National Chairman of Labour party Alh Bashiru Lamidi Apapa and National Working Committee
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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