The Labour Party has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of working with the All Progressives Congress to frustrate its appeal against the outcome of the 2023 House of Representatives election in Abia State.

In an open letter to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said that INEC had engaged two lawyers to represent it in the case without properly notifying the interested parties.

“Mr. Chairman sir, we therefore bring to your notice an ugly incident that happened yesterday, 19th day of October, 2023 at Lagos State, venue of the Appeal Court on the Appeal No. CA/OW/HR/AB/06/2023 between the Labour Party candidate, Hon. Amobi Ogah, who is the plaintiff and the All Progressives Congress candidate, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who is the Respondent. INEC is also a Respondent in that matter.

“Hon. Ogah of the Labour Party contested and won with a large margin the Federal House of Representatives seat for Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, but his victory was annulled at the Election Tribunal, hence the resolve to approach the Appellate Court.

“Sir, what played out yesterday, 19th day of October, 2023, was unbelievable, hence we call on you to nip the development in the bud to avoid a messy situation. INEC had engaged a Senior Counsel, J.O. Asoluka (SAN), as its lawyers with a letter of authorisation to represent the commission.

“But at the commencement of the hearing at the Appeal Court, another lawyer surfaced with another letter of authority to take over the case of the self-same INEC without prior notice to J.O Asoluka (SAN), that the new counsel had been engaged. They also did not see any need to inform the Plaintiff of the development as required by law. When the matter thus came up, a squabble ensued between the two counsels as to who had the authority of INEC to represent it in the case.

“Consequently present at the venue of the Appeal Court were some expelled members of the Labour Party under the headship of Lamidi Apapa. Also present were some leaders of the APC who openly fraternised with the Apapa cohorts and who were openly boasting that they would purchase judgment at all costs. They also attempted unsuccessfully to hijack the legal representation of the Labour Party,” the letter partly read.

Ifoh urged INEC to investigate the matter and sanction erring officials. He also said that the commission must reject any semblance of compromise and redeem its image in the aftermath of the controversial 2023 general elections.