***Party fingers Lamidi Apapa for illegal act
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The Labour Party (LP) has alerted Nigerians on a plot by its suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa to illegally withdraw all pending matters before the various election tribunals including that of its Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
A statement signed by the party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Obiora Ifoh and made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday appealed to the judiciary to ignore the moves which he described as ignoble antics of compromised suspended members of the party.
While appealing to the Department of State Service (DSS), Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the perpetrators of the plot whom he described as enemies of democracy, Ifoh warned that they posed a serious threat to the peace and stability of the nation.
The statement listed the perpetrators of the plot to include some of it’s suspended members such as; 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.
According to the statement; “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letter emanating from our suspended National Legal Adviser, Samuel Akingbade to the effect that all our cases are to be withdrawn.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.”
In reaction to a petition to the Inspector General of Police, signed by the expelled former National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Abayomi Arabambi in which he described the newly appointed Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh as an impostor, the statement insisted that Ifoh was duly appointed in accordance with the party’s constitution after it’s NEC meeting in Asaba; “shortly after the general election, the party had written to all the relevant bodies including the INEC of its intention to hold its NEC in line with the provision of the law. It also informed the DSS and Police of that intention.
“All stakeholders including the state chairmen and their secretaries, Zonal officers, owners and trustees of the party including NLC and TUC, some elected members of the party as well as the leader and presidential candidate of the party amongst others met in Asaba on April 18, where I (Ifoh) was elected as the National Publicity Secretary due to the vacancy that occurred after the expulsion of the former National Publicity Secretary in line with the powers conferred on it.
“Article 14(2) b Section XIV of the Labour Party Constitution on the Powers and Function of the NEC states to fill vacancies in the NWC as they may occur from time to time in between National Convention; Also Section XV states; To take disciplinary action against any member or organ of the party as it may seem fit in the interest of the party.”
The statement also warned the former National Youth Leader of the Party, Anselm Eragbe to desist from further using the office to confuse Nigerians, adding that he (Eragbe) was last year suspended by the party for forgery, anti party activities and gross misconduct.
