The crisis in the Labour Party took a different turn after a faction loyal to Julius Abure called on Nigerians to disregard Lamidi Apapa, and his executives as leaders of the party, labeling them as “merchantile personalities and a bunch of hustlers who are very well compromised and working and will do anything for their paymasters.”
In a statement issued on Friday by the party via it official Twitter handle (@NgLabour) and signed by Obiora Ifoh, the Acting National Publicity Secretary said that it called them a “bunch of hustlers” after a recent publication by the Apata-led faction wishing to settle out of court with the Abure faction.
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In their statement titled, “The Suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa, and His Co-Hustlers’ Penchant For Peddling Lies And Propaganda On The Position Of The Order Of FCT High Court Involving The National Chairman Of Labour Party, Barr Julius Abure,” they said that the FCT High Court on Thursday took the argument on preliminary objection by the party’s National Chairman, Abure, brought before it by Apata’s counsels, and decided to adjourn for ruling on the 12th of May, 2023.
However, the party added that “the Apapa camp went to town with a statement suggesting that the Court upheld a restraining order against Abure and some other executive members of the party.”
It also said that “an out-of-court settlement arrangement has been agreed upon.”
The party said that its earlier position of ignoring the Apapa camp would have continued if not for this misinformation; they had to put out a statement to tell Nigerians the truth.
The party used the opportunity of this statement to provide a brief history of the crisis that has swallowed it, saying that the State High Court in Benin, on April 5, issued an order restraining the party and its members from any suspension or purported suspension of its national officers. “Same day, another restraining order against Abure and three orders from parading as leaders of the party, was given by Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court over a matter brought before it by the Apapa camp. It is important to note that both courts are of equal jurisdiction.”
It went on to say, “But in spite of the restraining order from the Benin High Court, Apapa and his gang have continued to violate the order by invading the national secretariat of the party, aided by thugs and security agents, and thereafter allocated offices to themselves. Even with the FCT High Court order they are claiming they had, they have also violated it because the court didn’t give them the audacity to take laws into their own hands by breaking into the office and making away with vital documents from the office and awarding themselves offices without the approval of the National Executive Committee, NEC.”
“To avert further disruption of the activities of the party, the NEC of the Labour Party, comprising of all the stakeholders, including the 36 state chairmen and secretaries, the NLC, and the TUC, who are the trustees of the party, amongst others, was properly convened in Asaba, Delta State, on the 18th of April, 2023, where decisive measures were taken to restore normalcy to the party.
“Lamidi Apapa and his gang have clearly shown through their recent activities that they are hirelings compromised by our political opponents to put spanners in the work of progress going on in the party. We have continued to warn our members and Nigerians that rodents have invaded our party and that we must ensure that they do not carry out their nefarious assignments.
“It amuses us to read that they are working for an out-of-court settlement, but we are certainly not interested in their back-handed approach to peace. We would rather prefer to see the end of the matter in the court because all their claims can neither be proved nor substantiated.
“We are comforted by the fact that truth will always prevail at last,” the statement read.
