LP Alleges Withdrawal of Obi’s Petition, Others at Tribunal By Apapa’s Faction

•Laments rising insecurity, asks FG to brace up, tackle killings

James Sowole in Abeokuta and Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

The Labour Party has alleged that the Bashiru Apapa-led National Working Committee of the party was responsible for writing to all election petition tribunals to withdraw all its petition, including that of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from various tribunals.

The party, therefore, called on tribunals and courts to ignore their moves as the party maintained its stance on their suspension.

But in a brief telephone interview with THISDAY, the National Legal Adviser, Akingbade Oyinlekon, who is also a member of the Apapa faction, described the allegations as antics deployed by the Abure-led NWC to regain public confidence and sympathy.

This is as LP, yesterday, asked the federal government to brace up in tackling insecurity in various parts of the country and particularly in Benue State.

However, in a statement by Obiora Ifoh, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led NWC, the party disclosed that its legal team was confronted by the stark revelation that Apapa and his men have advanced their plot by approaching all the tribunals where our numerous candidates lodged their election petitions arising from the recently held general election.

“Alongside Lamidi Apapa on the plot to frustrate Labour Party’s destined victory in the tribunals and also to derail the fledging democracy are some of the suspended members including the 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.

“Recall that the leadership of the Labour Party has been swimming through the murky waters of conspiracy, treachery and sabotage orchestrated by these former officers of the party. We had long suspected that moles were planted to sabotage the efforts of the party to offer Nigerians an alternative to the wicked and clueless governance in place today, but the desperation to satisfy their pay master are beginning to threaten our common peace and of course our democracy.”

He lamented that approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates across board was the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians would resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil.

He explained that, “their actions show that they are working against the party and that they are working to destroy the party.

According to Obiora, “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.”

But the Apapa led group has described the allegations as unfounded, saying it was one of the antics by the Abure-led group to win the public to it side.

Speaking with THISDAY, Oyinlekon, who spoke on behalf of the group challenged the accusers to come out with evidence of the allegations, pledging full support for Obi and other candidates of the party at the tribunal, and vowed to take over all the Labour Party cases in the court going forward.

Akingbade said: “I want to state categorically and I want to let Nigerians know and all our ObiDient supporters and members of Labour Party worldwide that Abure in his usual manner has raised allegation that Apapa wrote to all tribunal to withdraw petitions of our candidates from the tribunals. I want to say that is not correct.  I want the world to ask Abure and his group for a copy of what he is alleging.

“We already know this is there only way to get sympathy from the public. We are not withdrawing any petition. We will go ahead till the end. They should look for another way. We have discovered their antics and it’s no longer working for them.

“I want Nigerians to be committed and all our members to be focused. We will follow our petition to the latter. On Obi’s mandate and competence we stand. Nothing will happen to any petition.

“They have ignored the legal department of the party but the legal department will take over all the cases that belong to Labour Party. If there is any petition to disqualify any candidate, they should bring it to the public,” he added.

LP Laments Rising Insecurity, Asks FG to Brace Up

The Labour Party, yesterday, asked the federal government to brace up in tackling insecurity in various parts of the country, particularly in Benue State.

The LP call was sequel to the murder of the party’s Ward Chairman, Mr Nathaniel Ocoche and three other mourners in Benue State by yet to be identified assailants.

In a statement by Comrade Abayomi Arabambi on behalf of the National Secretariat, described the gruesome murder of Ochoche, of Edukwu Ward II Apa Benue State, as unfortunate and wicked.

Arabambi said the National Secretariat of the party received the bad news with great shock, describing it as unfortunate acts against fellow humans.

Ochoche was among the four mourners killed at the weekend in an ambush that left many injured and several others missing at Ankpali village in Edikwu District of Apa Local Government Area of the state.

While conveying the  condolence on behalf of the acting National Chairman, Chief Lamidi Apapa, other National Working Committee members, and the entire Labour Party in Nigeria, Arabambi prayed for the repose of the dead.

The party, however, lamented the upsurge in the level of insecurity in Benue and other parts of the country and called on government to rise up to the situation and stem the tide.

“The gruesome murder of our party chairman is a huge blow to our nation and efforts to secure the nation. We hereby called on all security agencies to redouble their efforts to vanquish insecurity in Nigeria as a fitting tribute to the departed innocent souls.”

The party urged the family and associates to take solace in the memories Ochoche left behind and see the death not as a loss to the family alone but to all well-meaning Nigerians, and advised them to draw strength from the scripture that God is father and husband to orphans and widows.