Ogona Anita
Labour Party Caucus leader reacts as Attorney General of the Federation Recommends Abure’s Prosecution For Perjury and forgery Afam Ogene, leader of the Labour Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives, has commended the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for recommending the prosecution of LP National Chairman Julius Abure over alleged criminal conspiracy, forgery, and perjury. Ogene asserted that this recent recommendation, which includes allegations of criminal conspiracy, perjury, and forgery, vindicates his long-standing criticisms of Abure’s leadership.
Ogene in a statement in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said the caucus members have been vindicated in their allegations against Abure following recent recommendation by Attorney General over alleged crimes including criminal conspiracy, perjury, and forgery. Ogene has persistently questioned Abure’s moral authority to lead the party, especially following a recent Supreme Court ruling and the numerous allegations of wrongdoing leveled against him. The AGF’s recommendation for Abure’s prosecution, directed to the Nigeria Police, was made on March 7, 2025, through a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
This recommendation followed a petition from the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State, which Ogene asserts was substantiated by thorough investigations.
According to Ogene, both the police and the AGF’s office found merit in the allegations, which are detailed in a letter dated March 7, 2025, signed by M.B. Abubakar, the DPP. The letter states, “Following a careful review of the case file, we found that there is prima facie evidence against the suspects—Julius Abure, Farouk Umar Ibrahim, Nkwegu Edward Okereke, and Ojukwu Clement—supporting charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery, and other related offenses.”
The investigations revealed that Mr. Splendour Oko Eze, a registered LP member, had participated in and won the gubernatorial primaries in Ebonyi on June 9, 2022, in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. However, on August 3, 2022, Abure submitted forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw and substitute Eze’s candidacy, alleging that Eze’s signature had been forged in the process.
A forensic analysis confirmed that the signatures on the letters of withdrawal and membership card did not match Eze’s verified signature. Although the accused denied any wrongdoing, the investigation indicated they had significant motivation to engage in forgery. Evidence suggested that the documents were used to substitute Eze’s candidacy without his consent. “Consequently, I am directed to transmit the case file back to the Nigeria Police Force for prosecution,” the AGF’s office concluded in their letter.
Ogene criticized the Nigeria Police for their sluggish response to the AGF’s clear directive. He expressed concern that this inaction reflects a troubling trend in handling the matter, which has been ongoing for over three years. He referenced a March 9, 2023, report by Assistant Commissioner of Police Junaid Bukar, which noted the suspects’ refusal to cooperate with the investigation despite multiple outreach attempts.
Oko Eze, the aggrieved LP gubernatorial candidate during the 2023 elections, alleged that Abure and his associates unlawfully substituted his candidacy at INEC, claiming that they had forged his signature and party registration documents to support a false affidavit of withdrawal. Ogene asserted that these developments reaffirm his position that Abure’s leadership has been compromised by corruption and manipulation of election processes for personal gain. He urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure the prosecution of the accused, emphasizing the importance of accountability to nourish the democratic process.
