LP Crisis: Apapa Faction Challenges Appellate Court’s Decision, Accuses Justice Barka of Threatening Democracy

The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has voiced strong objections to the Appellate Court’s decision affirming Julius Abure as the party chairman.

Dr Abayomi Arabambi, the National Publicity Secretary of the faction, declared Justice Hamman Barka a threat to democracy during a press briefing on the “Judicial Rascality and Corrupt Judgment” delivered on March 6, 2024.

The faction expressed dismay at the court’s decision, claiming it marked the darkest day in the history of Court of Appeal judgments in Nigeria. Arabambi criticized the court for allegedly favoring personal relationships over constitutional provisions and accused Justice Barka of ignoring critical evidence of forgery against Abure.

Despite the Appellate Court’s affirmation of Abure as the Labour Party Chairman and the setting aside of the FCT High Court’s decision restraining him, Apapa’s faction has successfully filed an appeal in the Supreme Court. Arabambi stated that the appeal, filed on March 7, 2024, sought a stay of execution for the controversial judgment.

The faction accused Justice Barka of disregarding a Certified True Copy of the FCT High Court letter, which reportedly confirmed Julius Abure’s forgery activities. Arabambi raised concerns about the court’s dismissal of police investigation and indictment reports against Abure, emphasizing that the IGP established a prima facie case against him for forgery, criminal conspiracies, and perjury.

The Lamidi Apapa faction further criticized the Court of Appeal’s handling of the case, asserting that it departed from the original issues raised in the Originating Summons. Arabambi claimed that the court, in a “strange and massive fraudulent manner,” delivered judgment on substantive matters as if it were a final judgment appeal.

Among the faction’s objections were the court’s pronouncements on the powers of Abure’s ward executives in Edo State and the setting aside of the FCT High Court’s order dated April 5, 2023, without any appeal against it.