Barely 48 hours to the governorship election in Imo State, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed legal attempts aimed at preventing Senator Athan Achonu, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, from taking part in the upcoming contest.
The court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, declined an ex-parte motion filed against Achonu’s candidacy by the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the party.
Rather than granting the faction’s application led by Mr. Mohammed Mohammed, SAN, Justice Ekwo instructed the court processes to be served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their response to the lawsuit.
The court adjourned the case till tomorrow for further mention.
In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1357/2023, the Apapa-led LP faction sought an interim injunction to prevent INEC from acknowledging any other individual, except Chief Ukaegbu Joseph, who emerged from their April 16 primary poll, as the gubernatorial candidate for the Imo State governorship election slated for November 12
They also requested a mandatory injunction from the court, urging INEC to officially acknowledge and upload the name of Ukaegbu Joseph as the legitimate gubernatorial candidate and representative of the party in Imo State.
The Applicant also insisted on a mandatory directive to INEC, requesting the inclusion of Apapa’s name as the National Chairman of the party and Alhaji Lawal Saleh as the National Secretary.
Meanwhile, after hearing the counsel of the faction, Justice Ekwo chose not to grant the orders as prayed without first hearing from INEC, cited as the sole Defendant in the case.
“I am not granting you this application today and you have to bring INEC to court to come and explain its side in this matter,” the Judge held.
It’s worth noting that the Apapa-led faction of the LP has been engaged in a prolonged leadership conflict with the Julius Abure-led group. This group oversaw the primary election that led to Mr. Peter Obi becoming the party’s candidate in the previous presidential election.
Kanyi Daily recalls that a court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State had removed Julius Abure from his role and named Lamido Apapa as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
