By Eunice Orike
The Labour Party caretaker committee has called for the immediate prosecution of Barr Julius Abure, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Ojukwu Clement, and Edward Nkwegu Okerekeke over allegations of perjury, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the labour party LP, acting chairman of the caretaker committee, prof.Theophilius Ndubuaku along side the chairman Nigerian corruption watch magazine, Prince Dandy Rowland, and former national youth leader Labour party, Eragbe Anslem has said that despite a directive from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to prosecute the suspects, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has failed to take action.
“The Nigerian police force legal department had long ago advised that the suspects be charged to court and despite our repeated enquires , the relevant authorities have not been able to give us any explanation as to the reasons for the delays why Julius Abure and others have not been prosecuted despite the strong recommendation based on the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR government’s anti corruption policy , thereby rubbishing Mr President’s anti corruption fight before the whole world.
“That this action of the non- compliance with the IGP prosecution order is no doubt,undermining Justice, absolutely unacceptable and therefore has necessitated this action of the labour party, into commence the immediate demand on the honourable attorney general of the federation and minister of justice office for Julius Abure and others to be brought to court.”, he said.
The allegations against Abure and others include submitting forged signature withdrawal letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 general elections.
Additionally, they are accused of forging a court order to remove the name of Oko Eze, the validly nominated Labour Party gubernatorial candidate for Ebonyi State, from the election.
“That it was further revealed from the certified true copies , CTC of the documents obtained as uploaded in the INEC portal for the Ebonyi state 2023 gubernatorial elections that Julius Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim forged A Court order with which they criminally , unlawfully and illegally removed the name of Oko Eze the validly nominated 2023 labour party gubernatorial candidate even after the supreme court in it’s judgement held that Oko Eze was the validly nominated 2023 labour party gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi state”, he said.
The Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (NCC) has noted with great bewilderment how the suspects Julius Abure goes about bragging and boasting that as far as his sister remains the permanent secretary of Ministry of Justice in Abuja, that nobody can prosecute him nor his criminal accomplices.
“That these criminal elements violated with impunity the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 4th April 2023 that restrained Julius Abure, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Ojukwu clement for perjury, forgery and criminal conspiracy from parading themselves as National officials of the Labour Party LP and how they proceeded to conduct illegal and unlawful NEC meeting in Asaba Delta State on 17th April 2023 while on subsisting FCT High Court Restraining Order and yet paraded themselves as officials of the Labour Party in Nigeria is still a mystery and their unlawful action rendered illegal null and void”, he said.
To this end, the Labour Party National Caretake Committee, NCC hereby call on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to without further delay bring the suspects to Court within seven (7) days, as directed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP.
However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement has denied the allegations, stating that the forensic report and investigative police report have exonerated the suspects.
“First the forensic report and the investigative Police report from the Police have stated clearly that there was no forgery. The file that was forwarded to the Attorney General has since been returned to the Police on the ground that the forensic report exonerated the four persons clearly. Meaning that they have no case to answer and this is to the knowledge of Prof Ndubaku and his co-jesters.
It is therefore laughable that someone will be giving ultimatum to the Attorney General of the Federation in a case that is not in existence. It is therefore clear that Mr. Ndubaku and his gang are acting in bad faith, using every available opportunity to tarnish the image of the party. Members of the Public has since known them for their rascality.
Let me sincerely advise Mr. Ndubaku and his co-travellers to go and look for another job to do. In this political business, Labour Party is different from other political parties. We have shown that we are a great and purposeful organisation working for the greater interest of Nigeria. These men must be dreaming if they think that they can hijack the Labour Party and use it for their selfish goal. Labour Party is not available for that, and I advise them to go and find a decent job to do. No amount of pressure, blackmail or false information can force the leadership to handover the party to them”, the statement reads in part.
