The Nigeria Labour Congress, an affiliate of the Labour Party has described the sacking of the National Chairman, the National Secretary, National Treasurer and the Publicity Secretary of the Party, Messrs Julius Abure, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu and Opara, respectively, by the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as an attempt to decapitate the leadership of the party and weaken it.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joseph Ajaero, in a statement on Thursday, said the sacking of the Executives of the party was greatly suspicious.
He added that it cannot be far from the intent to weaken the party from within or distract it from its fight to reclaim its stolen mandate at the polls.
Justice Hamza Muazu had on Wednesday restrained the officers from addressing themselves as the Executives of the party.
But the NLC in its statement said the allegations on which the Judge sacked the officers were unfounded, unproven and highly speculative and malicious.
He said the allegations of corruption, perjury and forgery was leveled against them by elements whose interest in the party could best be described as doubtful or dubious.
He stated that the ruling was sequel to a motion exparte filed along the substantive suit by eight so-called aggrieved members of the party including the Chairman of the party in Abure’s ward.
The NLC is of the view that the judgement was meant to decapitate the leadership of the party with the suspected intent to weaken the party from within or distract it from its fight to reclaim its victories at the polls.
The Labour Centre urged the courts to exercise utmost caution in entertaining frivolous suits and spurious prayers from mercenary party members as they are capable of compromising the integrity of the courts.
“We are alarmed by the decision of Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja via exparte to suspend from office the National Chairman, the National Secretary, National Treasurer and the Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Messrs Julius Abure, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim, Clement Ojukwu and Opara respectively on unfounded/unproven and highly speculative and malicious allegations of corruption, perjury and forgery by elements whose interest in the party could best be described as doubtful or dubious.
“The court order according to Justice Hamza Muazu is to subsist “pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injuction”.
“The ruling was sequel to a motion exparte filed along the substantive suit by eight so-called aggrieved members of the party including the Chairman of the party in Abure’s ward.
“We view the decapitation of the leadership of the party with great suspicion which cannot be far from the intent to weaken the party from within or distract it from its fight to reclaim its victories at the polls.
“In light of this, we urge the courts to exercise utmost caution in entertaining frivolous suits and spurious prayers from mercenary party members as they are capable of compromising the integrity of the courts.
“We similarly join the league of those who canvass against the casual use of exparte in light of the grieviousness of the injuries they quite often inflict.
“We also note that this extant court order does not only violate the principle of presumption of innocence, a cardinal pillar of our judicial system, it is an affront to justice itself.
“We find it curious that while ex-convicts continue to occupy ample space in the public service or space without let or hindrance, those yet to be found guilty are already being harangued or hounded as being debarred from holding office.
“Finally, the continued relevance of our courts cannot be divorced from the quality of their decisions or rulings. Accordingly, our courts are advised to refrain from taking decisions which portray them as having descended into the arena, or worse still, make them pickatable.
“On our part, the grounds for suspending the quartet, either in the courtroom or outside it, are not there even as mischievous forces orchestrate evil. The quartet therefore remain executives of the party. In light of the foregoing, we invite the honourable court to review its decision forthwith.
“On the next adjourned date we are going to be in court in our numbers to listen to the Judge.” Joseph Ajaero, stated
