The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that is due to take place in Bauchi on May 3 has been maintained to take place by the Lamidi Apapa-led side of the Labour Party, despite the apparent widening of the crisis that is roiling the party.
Recall that Apapa had invited Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, Alex Otti, the newly elected governor of Abia, senators, representatives from the house of representatives, and other chieftains to a NEC meeting on May 3rd.
According to Naija News, Apapa, the acting national chairman, and Alhaji Saleh Lawan, the acting national secretary, signed a letter dated April 28, 2023, entitled “Invitation To The Labour Party (LP) National Executive Council, NEC Meeting.”
Apapa’s Labour Party Faction Invites Peter Obi, Otti, Others For NEC Meeting
However, the proposed NEC meeting by the Apapa-led faction scheduled for May 3 is illegal, according to a statement given to journalists by the LP’s acting national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh.
Ifoh urged party members to refuse Apapa’s invites, claiming that as a suspended Deputy National Chairman, Apapa lacked the authority to call a meeting of the NEC.
The party requested that the hotel management decline to offer their facility as a location for the meeting.
In a statement of their own, which was signed by the faction’s spokesman, Abayomi Arabambi, Apapa responded, claiming that the NEC meeting was called to address the injustices and illegality of Julius Abure’s violations of court orders, for which the FCT High Court had prevented him from impersonating Labour Party national officers.
He claims that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), as well as other parties’ elected state and National Assembly members, NWC and NEC members, have all been invited to the NEC meeting.
The factional Chairman recalled that the “NWC had given the Inspector-General of Police and Director General, Department of State Security Service, a leave to arrest and prosecute Obiora Ifoh, an impostor impersonating the Acting National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party.”
Apapa accused Abure of deliberately committing contempt against the FCT High Court over the restraining orders reportedly issued on April 5, 17, and 20, 2023, by “illegally conducting a Labour Party NEC meeting in Asaba, Delta State on 18th April 2023 and issuance of illegal appointment letters to states executives, etc.”
The Asaba NEC meeting was illegal, according to Apapa, who also revealed that “warrants of arrest have been procured for the arrest of Julius Abure and others” since they were charged with “forgery, perjury, and criminal conspiracy.”
Speaking further, Apapa said: “The NWC has declared as illegal, null and void and of no consequence, the charade conducted by Julius Abure and his criminal gang on 15th April 2023 during the gubernatorial primaries conducted in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states in the 2023 off season elections for November 2023.
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“Abure wittingly and surreptitiously tricked Mr. Peter Obi, Governor-elect Alex Otti of Abia State, Senators, members of House of Representatives, and states Assembly members elected on the platform of the Labour Party 2023 to commit contempt against the FCT High Court Restraining Order on them.
“The authentic National Executive Council, NEC meeting of the Labour Party has been scheduled for 3rd May 2023 in Bauchi, Bauchi State by the Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa led National Working Committee, NWC, and there is no going back.
“Obiora Ifoh should be disregarded as his press release is useless and of no consequence amounting to the antics of a Buffone.
“The Labour Party under the leadership of Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa shall continue to operate within the limit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as it affects the FCT High Court Restraining Order on Julius Abure and others from parading themselves as National Officers of the Labour Party and in accordance with the Labour Party constitution 2019 as amended.
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“The Labour Party NWC led by Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa has committed itself to reclaim the stolen mandate of the Labour Party, using the Election Manager Situation Room Mobile Application to recover all the missing Forms EC8A littered across the polling units in Nigeria for which Julius Abure couldn’t provide over 42,000 polling units Agents for the 2023 presidential and national elections.
“The matter in FCT High Court bothers on the criminality of Forgery, perjury, and criminal conspiracy against Abure while the matter in Benin High Court bothers on Abure’s suspension from the ward.
“The resolution from the illegal NEC meeting conducted by Julius Abure on 18th April 2023 in Asaba, Delta State, is null and void, and all those purported suspended and expelled are voided.”
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