The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour party has accused its Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and running-mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, of attending an “illegal” National Executive Council (NEC) meeting organised by chairman Barr Julius Abure-led faction.
The meeing held in Asaba, Delta State capital, last month.
The Apapa faction during its NEC meeting held in Bauchi on Wednesday, however, said it had pardoned both Obi and Datti for attending such meeting.
According to a communique issued after the meeting, other members pardoned by the NEC included; Mr Alex Otti, the Governor-elect of Abia State, all the Senators and State Assembly members elected on the platform of the Labour Party for attending the NEC meeting organised by the Barr. Julius Abure faction of the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, while reading the communique said Obi, his running mate and other members attended the Asaba meeting acted ignorantly.
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The Apapa-led faction, however, suspended 12 members including the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Obiora Ifo, and one of the spokespersons for the Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo.
According to the communique, they were “suspended for alleged anti-party activities and unruly behaviour against Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa led-Labour Party leadership, which include issuing a statement without the authority of the party.”
The factional leadership, therefore expressed confidence in the rule of law, noting that it will stand with Obi, to reclaim the “stolen mandate” at the presidential election petition tribunal.
The NEC meeting also expressed sympathy for Nigerians suffering from poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor infrastructure, and underdevelopment caused by leadership incompetence.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Apapa expressed surprise that the presidential candidate of the party did not know him.
Recall that Obi had openly acknowledged Abure as the Chairman of the party.
But Apapa claimed he had been in the Labour Party since 2001, became the State Chairman in Osun for 10 years, Deputy President, South West, for four and was Deputy National Chairman before being ratified by the NWC as Acting Chairman of the Labour Party.
He also denied being a stooge of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Apapa, his emergence as the acting Chairman was to rescue the party from being destroyed by the Aburi-led faction.
Apapa also denied widespread speculation that his leadership was scheming to withdraw the suit filed by the Labour Party challenging the outcome of the presidential election that announced the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate as the winner.
“Let me state categorically that the Labour Party under my leadership is committed to lawfully pursuing the matter in the presidential election petition tribunal to a logical end,” he assured.
“Labour Party under my leadership will accept the outcome of the presidential election petition tribunal up to the Supreme Court”
He said the Abure tenure committed criminal infractions and the NWC had no choice but to constitutionally remove him and three other national officers of the Labour Party.
Apapa described the resolutions of the meeting held by the Aburi-led faction in Asabe on April 18 despite a court order as null and void.
The Acting National Chairman also declared the gubernatorial primaries carried out in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States as null and void.
“Our party operates under the constitution 2019 as amended as such, all those who participated in the Asaba illegal NEC meeting on April 18, 2023, have committed contempt of the FCT High Court Retaining Order and have been suspended by the NWC as ratified by the NEC,” he said.
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