The Labour Party’s leadership has charged Nkiruka Onyejeocha, the minister of state for labor and employment, with forming an alliance with the Lamidi Apapa faction in order to incite discord within the organization.
This event occurs just one week after two attorneys appeared before the Lagos appeal court claiming to represent the Independent National Electoral Commission.
On February 28, INEC announced that Amobi Ogah, the LP candidate, had won the Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency election. Ogah received 11,769 votes, while Onyejeocha earned 8,752 votes.
However, the LP candidate’s election was declared void by a National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal seated in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State.
In rendering a decision in the Umuahia case with the file number EPT/AB/HR/8/2023, a three-person tribunal panel determined that Ogah had violated the Election Act’s provisions.
Ogah contended that Onyejeocha’s appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was an indication that she had given up on her appeal.
However, the panel rejected the lawmaker’s submission in its decision.
But when the issue came up for hearing in Lagos on Thursday, confusion ensued since two attorneys appeared, each with a letter of authorization to testify on behalf of INEC, necessitating a postponement of the hearing.
Kennedy Ahanotu, the National Youth Leader of the LP, told reporters on Wednesday at the party office in Abuja that they had information suggesting the drama was being orchestrated by the minister and an LP faction.
At the conference, Ahanotu—who was accompanied by National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh and National Legal Adviser Kehinde Edun—further asserted that they were positive she was collaborating with certain expelled party members.
Share your thoughts