Labour Party Crisis deepens as Apapa led faction mocks Abure’s ousted

The National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Lamidi Apapa, has restate his leadership commitment at ensuring lost glory of the party is restore in overall interest of all members.

Apapa disclosed that it’s only candidates endorsed by his leadership can participate in November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo.

Global Times Nigeria reports that Apapa’s statement came after a court of appeal sacked the Julius Abure-led faction of the Party and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise governorship candidates produced by Apapa’s faction for the election.

At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, August 24, Lamidi states: “You will recall that on the April 5 the FCT High court restrained Abure and others from parading themselves as national officers of the party. As a result, the party appointed the Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, as the acting national chairman of the party pursuant to its constitution.

“Sequel to that the party under my leadership wrote to INEC changing its date of primary election earlier scheduled by Abure from April 15 to April 16. Notwithstanding the fact that he was under a restraining order, Abure still went ahead to conduct his primaries for Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa on those dates.

“Peeved by the primary conducted by me, a candidate who participated in the Abure primary took my candidate to court whilst maintaining that Abure’s candidates were the authentic ones.

“The case was frantically defended, and the Federal High court, Owerri Division, declared the primaries conducted by me as the authentic candidate as Abure was under a restraining order as at the time he screened candidates and conducted his primaries.”