Tobias Sylvester
The Factional leader of the Labour Party (LP), Lamidi Apapa has declared that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is not qualified to rule Nigeria.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja had restrained the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure and three others from parading themselves as officials of the party.
A faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party had subsequently appointed Lamidi Apapa as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
In the wake of the development, Labour Party state chairmen in the 36 states of the federation disowned Apapa, throwing its weight behind Abure as the party’s leader.
On Monday, the Apapa-led LP faction warned Peter Obi and other members of the party to distance themselves from Abure who is allegedly planning to push for the suspension of NWC members in a meeting scheduled to hold in Asaba on Tuesday.
The factional chairman warned that such action would only amount to contempt of court and all those who attend the meeting might as well risk jail term.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi said the NEC meeting held on Tuesday is illegal, stressing that Abure’s presence in the meeting is flagrant disregard for the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Apapa faction noted that it had access to a letter of invitation to the Asaba NEC meeting of the LP signed by Abure and said he has no such powers given the restraining order of the court.
Arabambi alleged that the presence of Peter Obi in that meeting signifies that the presidential candidate does not respect court order, noting that he is not qualified to rule Nigeria.
The statement released Apapa faction reads: “that following the anti-party activities and disobedience to court order of the FCT High Court through the illegal suspension and expulsion of national working committee members under the leadership of Alh. Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, the NWC members meet this afternoon, after receiving information and letter by the restrained former national chairman Julius Abure and Former National Secretary inviting elected members of national assembly to observe their illegal NEC meeting of our party.
“By this rascality exhibited by these miscreants, the national working committee of our party led by Alhaji Lamidi Apapa hereby, suspend the following officers with immediate effects;
Ladi Iliya Deputy National Chairman NLC, Ayo Olorunfemi, Deputy National Chairman TUC, Kennedy Chigozie Ahanotu, Deputy National Secretary, Dudu Manuga, National Women Leader and Innocent Okeke. National Vice Chairman South East.”
The statement signed by Arabambi stated that “the party also frowns at the gross misconduct of Mr Peter Obi who is vigorously pursuing ethnic cleansing.
“Peter Obi’s mission was to amputate the Labour party structure so that he and his gang of ethnic bigots would take over the party and fix his wife as the new national women leader of the party to continue his trade.
“We want the world to know that Peter Obi was not properly nominated as our party flag bearer which we pointed out to him and the reason he wanted all of us opposed to his illegal candidacy out by all means.
“Peter Obi is not fit to govern Nigeria for his involvement in the gross disobedience to the FCT high court order as this is an evidence that he will cause civil unrest , turn nigeria to banana republic and lawlessness where rule of law will be a thing of the past.
“Finally the national working committee of our party hereby dissolved the presidential campaign council with immediate effect.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Lamidi Apapa had maintained that he is the acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, claiming that he enjoys the support of Peter Obi’s supporters “Obidients”.
