Lamidi Apapa, factional chair of Labour Party (LP), says the lawyers representing the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi in the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal must report to him in fourty-eight hours.
Apapa said this while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday shortly after the sitting of the court on the leadership tussle in the party.
He stated that he was now in charge of the Labour Party as its acting national chairperson in line with the court’s ruling on the crisis rocking the LP.
Apapa said that anyone else parading himself as the party’s chairman apart from him was violating the court ruling.
“I am so pleased that justice has taken place today because under normal circumstances we begin to doubt but today we are happy that the judge had acted promptly and reasonably. There is no doubt that I am now in charge. It has now been confirmed by the court that I have the right to be in charge until another order is taken place”, he said.
“As of today, I am the acting Chairman of the party and anybody who parades himself apart from myself is acting illegally and I want to tell the whole world that come next Friday. The real suit will start when the issue of forgery, conspiracy, and so forth will commence. And from that we will know if actually offences have been committed or not.
“I want to use this opportunity again to tell the whole world that the tribunal that is going on. I want to invite the lawyers that are in charge that are representing Labour party they should come for briefing. They should come and give me update of what is happening in the tribunal within the next 48 hours because right now I am the person on the driver seat and I am fully in charge.”
A statement on the party’s website said Abure-led leadership has appealed the ruling of the court and maintained that Abure was in charge of the party.
“Today at the FCT state high court, the presiding judge refused to decline jurisdiction on the matter brought by Apapa and co against Labour Party and Julius Abure and co. In his Lordship ruling, he said that he will go ahead to hear the substantive matter. The matter has been adjourned to Friday, May 19 for further deliberation”, the statement reads.
“However, we are appealing the ruling immediately because we know we will not get justice from the court.
“Meanwhile, Barrister Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Party pending the final determination of the matter”.
