Lamidi Apapa, who is serving in the role of acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, has vowed to return to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which is currently in session, on Friday.
This information was shared by Apapa with our correspondent during an interview that took place on Friday in his hotel room in Abuja.
After his altercation with a group of enraged supporters, some of whom were thought to be members of the Obidient movement, the acting chairman of the LP disclosed that nothing will prevent him from making a subsequent appearance in court on Friday. He admitted that he had received several threats following the incident.
Why should I make myself run? As the interim chairman of the National Committee, it is incumbent upon me to be present. He bemoaned, “I won’t run away from my responsibility just because some random people are calling and sending me death threats,” and vowed that he would not do so.
It was reported that a number of combative supporters who are thought to be loyal to the suspended National Chairman, Julius Abure, strongly resisted interviews with the Lamidi Apapa-led faction by journalists.
The group waited in order to prevent Apapa from being interviewed and heckled him while chanting “Ole” (which means thief).
The order had to be restored, so the police had to disperse the determined protestors who had followed him and tried to prevent him from getting into his car and leaving the premises. This was necessary in order to bring an end to the mayhem.
An enraged Apapa, while describing the psychological trauma he endured at the tribunal, pointed the finger of accusation at LP presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abure as being the masterminds behind the attack that was carried out against him.
“Before the assault, I was warned that if I showed up to court, I would be dealt with. If I did the assault, I was warned that I would be dealt with. They also sent me a text message claiming that Obi has stated that he will not recognise me in my role as acting National Chairman of the party. When I heard Obi say that he had never seen or spoken with me before, I was taken aback even further.
But I showed up at the courthouse even though I wasn’t escorted by the police. And just as they had threatened, they went through with it and dealt with me. Because of this, I suspected that Peter Obi and Abure were the ones responsible for the attack.
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When asked if he was prepared to go to the court with security operatives, Apapa insisted that he won’t and further dared his assailants to carry out their threats again. When asked if he was prepared to go to the court with security operatives, Apapa insisted that he won’t.
“I am still planning on going to court tomorrow with Arabambi and other members of the party. And I will be going there with no safety precautions taken. I don’t care what they do to me; just do whatever they want.They made the accusation that I was taking money from the APC. “But I am telling you, I did not collect kobo from anybody, and I challenge them to produce evidence to prove I did,” he growled angrily. “I challenge them to produce evidence to prove I did.”
In a similar vein, Abayomi Arabambi, the expelled former publicity secretary and spokesman of the Apapa faction, has accused Abure of receiving a bribe in the amount of N500 million from the delegation of the former governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, in order to promote his bid for the presidency of the Senate among LP lawmakers-elect.
This was despite the fact that he disclosed that Abure had deliberately refused to submit the party’s candidates’ list to the Independent National Electoral Commission. This was an act that put the party in danger of losing the governorship and senatorial seats it had won in both the state of Abia and the state of Kano.
‘What is Abure doing with Akpabio?’ he asked. They took these individuals to court under the pretext that they were in possession of a fraudulent mandate. They are taking advantage of the Nigerian people’s intelligence. Because they are all going to get a piece of the money that they have collected, Obi will not realise that they are conspiring against the party at this point.
Because Abure did not submit the register in accordance with the electoral act, “We May Lose the Only Governor We Have, Which Is in Abia,” as well as Our Positions in Kano.
“Abure ought to be aware that all of his statements claiming to be the National Chairman of Labour Party is an affront on the law and a serious criminal contempt that could send him to prison for a maximum of ninety days. If he continues to make these claims, he will face the consequences.” To emphasise the point, he ought to be aware that the court has issued an order placing a restraining order against him and three others.
Arabambi supported Apapa’s earlier decision to storm the tribunal on Friday despite the risks to their lives, and he did so by corroborating that decision.
“We have been receiving warnings to stay away from the tribunal as well as threats to our lives,” they said. You are aware of what took place there the day before. It should be brought to your attention that in the past, on multiple occasions, I have sounded the alarm about the danger posed to my life by individuals who work closely with Abure.
“After the staged attack that was carried out against us at the presidential election petition tribunal by thugs hired by Abure yesterday, One Omooba, a member of the LP in Alimosho Local Government had directed all Peter Obi supporters to come out in large numbers tomorrow to attack and deal ruthlessly with us. This was in response to the attack that was carried out yesterday. But we will go there, and they should feel free to do whatever they want to us while we are there,” he said.
In response to the accusation, Abure held a second press conference a few hours later, where he stated that he has nothing to hide and that his hands are clean.
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He stated, “A political party that you oppose has indicated that it will be coming to see you.” It is only right and proper that you hear what they have to say when they say it. As a result, we had no choice but to grant them permission to ask for our assistance.
“However, we have been very clear that it is the responsibility of the legislature to choose who will serve as President of the Senate. I also want to make it perfectly clear that I did not receive any money from them either during their visit or after it.