Suspended Labour Party, Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa has reportedly approached the election petition tribunal asking for withdrawal of LP’s Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi’s Case against the All Progressive Congress, APC, presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
AbaCityBlog recalls that Obi’s legal team had approached the court, asking for the disqualification of Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima, following the drug case against the latter.
While the case is in court, Labour Party was hit with a leadership crisis which led to a legal tussle on who is the authentic National Chairman of the party.
However, a press release from the faction of the party, which sided with Obi raised an alarm over the plot by Apapa’s faction to withdraw Obi’s court case against Tinubu.
The statement l, signed by Obiora Ifoh, acting national publicity secretary, stressed that Apapa had approached all the election petition tribunal wherein Labour Party has pending matters, including Obi’s Case, asking for withdrawal of the cases.
The statement partly read:
“The evil intention of the breakaway faction of the Labour Party, led by the suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa continues to manifest and just this morning, our legal team was confronted by the stark revelation that these men have advanced their plot by approaching all the tribunals where our numerous candidates lodged their election petitions arising from the recently held general election.
“Alongside Lamidi Apapa on the plot to frustrate Labour Party’s destined victory in the tribunals and also to derail the fledging democracy are some of the suspended members including the Samuel Akingbade, Gbenga Daramola, Anselem Eragbe and Abayomi Arabambi erstwhile National Legal Adviser, National Financial Secretary, National Youth Leader and National Publicity Secretary respectively amongst others.
“Recall that the leadership of the Labour Party has been swimming through the murky waters of conspiracy, treachery and sabotage orchestrated by these former officers of the party.
“We had long suspected that moles were planted to sabotage the efforts of the party to offer Nigerians an alternative to the wicked and clueless governance in place today, but the desperation to satisfy their pay master are beginning to threaten our common peace and of course our democracy.
“Approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates across board is the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians will resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil.
“Their actions show that they are working against the party and that they are working to destroy the party. If they claim that they have problem with the national leadership of the party, will they also claim that they have problem with the candidates of the party. What offence has the candidates of the party committed that they are now moving around to withdraw their matters from the tribunal.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is therefore calling on the tribunals to disregard any letter emanating from our suspended National Legal Adviser, Samuel Akingbade to the effect that all our cases are to be withdrawn.
“We are also calling on the presidential election tribunal to disregard such letters from these ex officials of our party asking for the withdrawal of HE Peter Obi’s petition.
“We also call on the Police, DSS and EFCC to quickly apprehend and question these agents of destruction before they succeed in igniting the nation.
