Crisis in LP a creation of judiciary, says Osuntokun

Akin Osuntokun, director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, says the judiciary is responsible for the instability in the party.

On April 5, a federal capital territory (FCT) high court issued an order restraining Julius Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.

Ruling on an ex parte application, Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary; and Oluchi Opara, treasurer; from acting as national officers of the party.

Subsequently, Lamidi Apapa, the deputy national chairman, took over the affairs of the party, citing the court’s judgement.

On April 18, Yunusa Tanko, the LP presidential campaign spokesperson, announced the suspension of Apapa for “anti-party activities.”

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday, Osuntokun said the judge who gave the restraining order made a wrong decision.

He said his actions are the reasons why the LP is in turmoil.

“There is nothing going on there other than the crisis of the judiciary. It is a judge that made a judgement that is now responsible for creating a crisis in the Labour Party,” he said.

“There was a judge here who in his discretion said that Abure — who has been chairman for the primaries of the presidential and governorship candidates — should no longer parade himself as the chairman.

“He could have made a more logical position of what was brought before him. We have now come to see that judges in Nigeria rely more on technicalities, evasive tactics, and scapegoatism to take very crucial positions.

“It is the judge who gave this judgement that is causing this crisis right now. Judges have options, he could have said to let him remain in office, while the court proceeding goes on. There is nothing that says you must now tell him to step aside.

“He had the options but decided to go for the one that will introduce crisis to the party. Those who brought the case are mischiefs, they are looking for an opening to introduce their mischiefs.

“I don’t know what purpose it serves the interest of justice or the stability of the party or the politics of Nigeria for you to say that the man should now step down. The only beneficiaries of that judgement are those who brought the case.”