ABUJA – A number of days after the Supreme Court docket affirmed the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) within the 2023 election as adjudged by the Presidential Election Petition Court docket (PEPC), the Labour Get together on Sunday raised the alarm alleging a marketing campaign of persecution towards its (LP) leaders.
The marketing campaign which it stated has been launched by the governing get together has begun with a Petition by the APC, to the Nigerian Bar Affiliation towards the LP Chairman, Julius Abure, and its Presidential Marketing campaign Spokesperson, Barr. Kenneth Okonkwo.
In line with the get together, “Labour Get together was confronted by a petition submitted by the Nationwide Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, to the Authorized Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, a unit underneath the Nigerian Bar Affiliation, towards our Nationwide Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, and spokesperson of the Obi Datti Presidential Council, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo.*
An announcement by Obiora Ifoh, Labour Get together’s Nationwide Publicity Secretary said that the APC Nationwide Secretary, in his letter to Committee, requested a disciplinary motion towards Abure and Okonkwo, for feedback towards the Supreme Court docket judgment, “which he stated have been adverse and unacceptable.”
Labour Get together said “Nigerians will recall that, in our Press Assertion of Thursday, the twenty sixth October, 2023, the Labour Get together alerted the nation, that some key leaders of the Labour Get together have been earmarked for vilification and persecution, within the aftermath of the judgement of the Supreme Court docket, on the Presidential Election.
“In that very same assertion, we drew consideration, that the deliberate persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment of our get together, leaders and members, will probably be enforced, utilizing safety companies and different establishments of the State.
“In the present day, the Labour Get together was confronted by a petition submitted by the Nationwide Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, to the Authorized Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, a unit underneath the Nigerian Bar Affiliation, towards our Nationwide Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, and spokesperson of the Obi Datti Presidential Council, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo.
“In a press release, the APC secretary, revealed that they’ve submitted a petition to the NBA, for the aim of requesting disciplinary motion towards Julius Abure and Kenneth Okonkwo, supposedly, for feedback towards the Supreme Court docket judgment, which he stated have been adverse and unacceptable.
“The Labour Get together views this motion by the APC, lower than three days after the Supreme Court docket judgment, as a affirmation of our suspicion and knowledge of a marketing campaign of persecution, harassment, intimidation and incarceration towards the Labour Get together and its overwhelming supporters, nationally and globally.
“We maintain firmly and with no concern of contradiction , that each court docket judgment, particularly on political issues, are topic to criticism and administrative evaluate.
“That every one authorities in Nigeria together with the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria derive their energy and authority from the individuals. Subsequently, all authority in Nigeria is topic to public opinion and oversight.
“Once more, we emphatically state, that each one these statements have been made in the middle of Public and press interplay, respective to their political places of work and tasks, and weren’t delivered on their private capacities, or of their skilled duties, as authorized practitioners.
“They have been purely political statements, delivered of their capacities because the Nationwide Chairman of the Labour Get together, in addition to the spokesperson of the Obi Datti Presidential Council.
“In all probability, the APC management should not duly enlightened, that when a judgment is delivered, feedback coming afterwards, are not thought of subjudice.
“Fairly, such judgements are mentioned and critiqued for public comprehension, and subjected to analysis, for additional educational functions.
“A number of different Nigerians, together with notable authorized luminaries, together with a retiring Justice of the Supreme court docket, have additionally freely expressed their opinions on the process, and consequence of the Supreme Court docket Judgement.
“Subsequently, for the APC to isolate our leaders for vilification, by exaggerated and misguided inferences, our fears of persecution have begun to materialise.
“We’re additionally fairly conscious that a number of different trumped up allegations have been concluded towards our management, members and supporters, from the place this petition emerged.
“Nevertheless, standing agency and resolute, we use this discussion board to alert our members and Nigerians generally, to brace up for a few of these anti- democratic actions which might be starting to floor fairly very early, underneath this authorities.
“If the administration succeeds on this dictatorial path, in hounding and vilifying opposition political events, leaders, members and supporters, it stands to destroy a democracy, nonetheless battered and attempting to recuperate, from the unprecedented chain of occasions, witnessed on account of this overwhelming election season.
“We name on all democratic fronts in Nigeria, and other people of goodwill, to rise as much as this ugly and unlucky improvement, and to work in joint goal, in direction of defending public opinion, and upholding human rights, in Nigeria, as assured by the Structure, and worldwide statutes, earlier than they’re completely and fully compromised.
“The Labour Get together stays aware of its patriotic duty and authorized place, and can stay steadfast in its dedication to democracy, and the rule of legislation, with none concern of intimidation, in anyway.
Lastly we attraction to the NBA to not enable itself to be dragged into APC’s murky political methods via which it has shamelessly compromised key establishments.”