Emameh Gabriel in Abuja
The leadership of Labour Party, has faulted a tribunal judgement sacking its member representing Aniocha/Oshimil Federal Constituency, Delta State, in the House of Representatives, Ngozi Okolie.
The party, in a statement by its acting National Publicity Secretary, disagreed with the ruling that it failed to sponsor its candidate in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended).
This was as the party alleged that powerful people in Delta State were involved in the matter, and that it was not surprised by what it described as ‘arm-twisting and political bravado’ that won’t last.
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State, Monday, nullified the election of Okolie of the Labour Party, for the House of Representatives.
In the judgement that lasted over five hours, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice A.Z. Mussa, disqualified Okolie, and declared the runner up in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election, Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner.
Elumelu had in a petition with the number: EPT/DL/HR/06/2023 approached the tribunal, and sought to disqualify Okolie on the grounds that she was not properly sponsored by the Labour Party, and that she did not resign her position as a public office holder before contesting under the Labour Party.
In its judgement, the tribunal agreed with the petitioners that the second respondent (Okolie) was not duly sponsored by the third respondent (Labour Party) as she was not a member of the party as at May 28, 2022 when the primary purportedly held.
But in its response, the national leadership of the party did not only express shock, it also described the judgment as “clearly inconsistent with the position of the law, which it said had already been “settled even by superior courts, including the Supreme Court.”
The party explained that, “The issue of nomination of candidates as well as membership are internal affairs of the party beyond the jurisdiction of courts. It is only a political party that can determine, who its members are and who their flag bearer for an election should be.
“The courts have in a plethora of cases held that the court has no jurisdiction to intervene in the internal affairs of a political party,” Labour Party declared.
