Emameh Gabriel in Abuja
The factional National Chairman of Labour Party, Lamidi Apapa yesterday kicked against an offer of an olive branch by the Julius Abure National Working Committee (NWC) of the party
Rather than accepting the peace offer, Apapa insisted that he remained the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party, declaring all actions carried out by any committee set up by Abure null and void.
This was revealed in a response to the Labour Party Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution Committee (LP-PSCRC) constituted by Abure in December 2022
The Abure faction had constituted the peace committee with a view to resolving lingering issues affecting the unity of the party.
The committee had invited some members of the LP-NWC loyal to Apapa to appear before it for talks and to further address existing grievances in the party.
In its July 18 letter, the committee said the meeting would provide both factions with the opportunity “to resourcefully interact and find lasting solutions to the lingering crisis currently rocking the party.”
Among those invited for the meeting scheduled to hold today Sunday July 23, 10:00 a.m. at NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja are: Prince Favour Reuben, Comrade Eragbe Anslem, Chief Oko Eze, Hon. Murphy Imaseun, Comrade Arabambi Anatomy, Mr. Akinghade Oyelekun and Mr. Mike Auta.
In its reply dated July 21, however, the Apapa faction reminded the committee that Apapa “is the Acting National Chairman of Labour Party, LP with effect from April 6 and ratified by NEC on May 3 in Bauchi, Bauchi State.”
The faction Labour Party LP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on May 3 in Bauchi suspended Julius Abure, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Ojukwu Clement and Mrs Oluchi Okpara as National Chairman, National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary and National Treasurer in line with the restraining order of FCT High Court issued on April 5.
With the order, according to the faction, all the committees and structures set up previously by the Julius Abure led administration including your LP-PSCR, stand dissolved.
The reply said: “That while we in the National Working Committee, NWC appreciates your modest efforts at restoring peace to the party at large, we want to remind members of your dissolved committee that Abure has continued in contempt of the restraining order of FCT High Court from April 6 till today.
“That for the avoidance of doubt, the National Working Committee under the leadership of Alhaji Lamidi Apapa shall sooner than later, set up the LP Peace, Security & Dispute Resolution Panel, LP-PSDRP to look into certain areas of concerns in the lingering dispute.
“That the order of FCT High Court restraining Julius Abure and three (3) others must be fully complied with. That Julius Abure, Umar Farouk and Mrs Oluchi Okpara must fully account for all the labour party money that accrued from sales of forms and donations 2022-2023
“That our 2023 Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi must necessarily retract publicly and apologise for denying Alhaji Bashir Lamidi Apapa on national television.
“That the matter of illegal and unlawful substitution of Labour Party candidates in INEC portal by Julius Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim is a criminal matter that bothers on the Nigeria Police Force (FCID) Investigation and Forensic Audit Report indictment for Forgery, Perjury and criminal conspiracy.
“That the above case and issues of forgery, perjury and criminal conspiracy are before the police and will be exhausted fully by the courts. That every National Working committee member’s administrative duties that were usurped by Julius Abure shall be restored and remedied financially and otherwise.
“That every infraction committed against the provisions of the Labour Party Constitution 2019 as amended shall be redressed accordingly,” the Apapa faction said.
