…Calls on security agencies to stop alleged plot
The Abia chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised alarm over plot by members of the Labour party to cause mayhem in parts of the state over unfavorable ruling of the court.
Journalist101 had reported that the Appellate court, sitting in Lagos on Saturday, sacked Senator Darlington Nwokocha of the Labour Party and declared Colonel Austin Akobundu (retd) of the PDP as the winner of the Abia Central Senatorial district election.
Abia PDP in a statement signed by their Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Elder Abraham Amah said the Labour Party according to documents in circulation “is calling its members to a solidarity rally in black clothes to protest the judgement of the Court of Appeal”
Elder Amah said the plan of the Labour Party “is unheard of in the history of our democracy that a political party would call its members to protest the judgement of a court.”
He also pointed to a press conference addressed by their Chairman of Labour Party in Abia State, Mr. Cheeky Igara “wherein he assumed the position of Judge Extraordinaire to lecture Abians, Nigerians and the press on why the judgement of a validly constituted court should not stand because a member of his party was removed from office.
“According to Igara, ‘we are more shocked by the rascality of the judiciary, especially muscling judgements, divisive judgements’.
Continuing, the PDP Acting Chairman added that “It is unbecoming of a Party to make a public declaration to reject the judgement of a court of competent and final jurisdiction and ask it to review its judgement because that is nothing but a call to anarchy.
“These infractions on the law by the Labour Party are jokes taken too far and it seems that the Laboour Party is unaware of the actionable nature of their actions.
“In the first place, the Labour Party is quite ignorant of the fact that Abia PDP had 19 grounds of appeal, most of which Labour Party could not defend against, which bother on noncompliance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the 2022 Electoral Act as Amended. Their attempts to reduce the petition of the PDP to Section 77 of the Electoral Act is a careless and unforgivable display of ignorance.
“The Labour Party also refused to understand that a Court of Appeal had also determined that Section 77 of the Electoral Act is both a pre-election and post-elecion matter.
“Furthermore, the Labour Party also conveniently ignored the fact that the Court of Appeal also took cognizance of the rejected votes in some polling units which was on the petition of the PDP.
“More grievous display of ignorance is the inability of the Labour Party to provide a copy of the judgement to members of the Press even while making wild claims of reversal in sane breathe.
“It is quite unfortunate that the Labour Party would stay mute when judgements go in its favour but prefer to bully society whenever a judgement goes against it.
“Since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy and the 24 years it was in power in Abia State, the PDP never disobeyed any court order nor did it ever call its members out to protest the judgement of a court.
“Following these developments, the Abia PDP is compelled to alert the security agencies in Abia State of the devious plans of the Labour Party to cause a breach of the peace in the State.
“The Abia PDP has consistently said that the Labour Party in Abia State portrays itself as a reckless organisation that does not respect the laws and has the tendency to push the State into the hands of autocrats and the events of today do nothing but to validate our proposition.
“Once again, we call on the vigilant security agencies in Abia to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the State by restraining the Labour Party from acts inimical to the peace of the State and caution its leadership from statements capable of causing mayhem and a breakdown of law and order in Abia.
“We also call on members of the PDP to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding even as we ask the good people of Ikwuano to call their children and wards to order and prevent them from engaging in acts that may lead to crisis in the State.”
