LP Condemns Court Ruling That Ousted Senate Minority Whip Nwokocha

The Labour Party (LP) in Abia State has condemned the appeal court judgement that removed Darlington Nwokocha as the senator for Abia Central, stating that the case was based on Section 77 of the Constitution, which is not subject to judicial review.

The state LP chairman, Ceekay Igara, stated this at the party’s office in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Sunday evening while briefing journalists after the court ruling.

Igara expressed the party’s dissatisfaction with the court verdict, saying that the judiciary is supposed to be the final refuge of the ordinary man, adding that there are many Supreme Court judgements that forbid interference in matters of political party internal affairs.

The party chairman also said the Labour Party in Abia State is deeply concerned about the recent judgement from the appeal court, one of the key pillars of democratic institutions entrusted with the duty of delivering justice without bias or prejudice.

He said he was shocked by what he called the recklessness of the judiciary, explaining that the judgement that overturned the decision of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal that upheld the election of the representative for Isikwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State, Amobi Ogah, in Umuahia relied on Section 77 of the Constitution.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Nwokocha as the winner of the election with a total of 92,116 votes. Augustine Akobundu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came in second with 41,477 votes but challenged the declaration in court.