The Labour Party (LP) has disclosed plans by some expelled and suspended party members led by Lamidi Apapa to shop for a judge who will give them an injunction to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize them as LP leaders.
LP in a statement issued by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariowola not to allow anti-democratic forces to use the judiciary to truncate democracy in the country.
According to the LP, Apapa’s faction has allegedly visited three judges in the North who have all turned down their requests.
The party commended the judges who have refused “their offers, and who are insisting that justice cannot be bought.”
On the Kano Court ruling that allegedly sacked Abia State Governor-elect Alex Otti, the party said it has appealed against the judgment, expressing happiness at the judge’s clarification that his ruling was misinterpreted to mean a blanket punishment against all elected members of the party across the country.
The party said: “Labour Party has also swiftly applied for notice of appeal. We believe that justice will also be dispensed accordingly.
“We use this opportunity to call on the judiciary to be up and doing and to be on notice of the plots of these anti-democratic elements to derail our thriving democracy.
“We also call on the Chief Justice of the Federation and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to advise judges under them not to allow the name of the judiciary to be dragged into the mud by desperate politicians.
“The judiciary has a duty to protect our democracy, and we believe that this arm of government has done well but can still do more until the likes of Apapa and his cohorts are properly caged in accordance with the law and are made to pay for the injury and pains they have continued to inflict on our democracy.”
