LP SPOKESMAN CRITICIZES NLC'S DEMAND FOR ABURE'S PROBE AS A POLITICAL GIMMICK

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The Nigeria Labour Congress’ recent request for an investigation into claims of forgery against Julius Abure, the party’s national chairman, and others was rejected by Abayomi Arabambi, the Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, as a political tactic and a waste of time.

The claims had long been resolved, according to a statement released by Arabambi on Tuesday, by a March 2023 ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, together with forensic and police investigating reports that exonerated Abure of any misconduct.

His response came after Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, the chairman of the NLC Political Commission, and Dandy Rowland, the chairman of Nigerian Corruption Watch, demanded that Abure be prosecuted for alleged perjury, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

The Labour Party Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nanedi Usman, had also called for the prosecution of Abure and a few party national officers, expressing dissatisfaction over what it called an unreasonable delay in their prosecution.

Arabambi, however, characterized the calls as a last-ditch effort to damage Abure’s and the party’s National Secretary Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim’s reputations.

“The forensic report and the police investigative report clearly stated that there was no forgery. The case file forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation was returned to the police on the grounds that the forensic report exonerated all four accused persons,” Arabambi stated.

He added that the Court of Appeal’s March 6, 2023, ruling in suit No. CA/ABJ//CV/559/2023, delivered by Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Adebukola Banjoko, and Peter Chudi Obiorah, dismissed all claims of conspiracy, perjury, and forgery. The Supreme Court alone has the power to reverse the decision.

According to him, the Inspector General of Police cannot be held accountable for not bringing charges against Abure because the appeal court’s decision barred any additional legal action.

Arabambi also attacked Ndubuaku and Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, saying they were trying to undermine the party leadership through intimidation.

“At this point, Ndubuaku and his master, Joe Ajaero, must understand that Abure, Ibrahim, and Clement Ojukwu have no case to answer. It is laughable that someone is issuing ultimatums to the Attorney General of the Federation over a case already settled by the Court of Appeal,” he said.

He made it clear that he would not put up with the ongoing attempts to discredit the party leadership by making what he called unfounded accusations.