LP crisis: New twist as ex-deputy national chairman lays claim to chairmanship position

Labour Party’s Presidential candidate Peter Obi, flanked by his running mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed (L), speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, on November 23, 2022, ahead of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP)

***describes Abure, Apapa as illegal occupants

The ongoing leadership crisis in the Labour Party (LP) took a new twist at the weekend as a former Deputy National Chairman of the party (South) Callistus Okafor, declared that both the suspended national chairman, Julius Abure and the acting national chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa are illegal occupants of the seat.

Okafor who claimed that he remained the authentic national chairman of the party, explained that he got the post by virtue of his position as Deputy National Chairman of the party when the late national chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam was in office.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Okafor claimed that Abure, who has now been restrained from parading himself as party’s National Chairman by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court was Acting National Secretary, when Abdulsalam, died in 2020.

While applauding the decision of the court, Okafor further alleged that Abure announced himself as National Chairman without recourse to the provisions of the party’s constitution, following Abdulsalam’s demise.

Speaking on his case where he went to court to nullify the LP’s national conventions of October 9, 2018; June 10, 2019; and March 29, 2021, where new executive officers were elected, Okafor stated: “Both Abure and Apapa are all illegal occupants of the seat. Abure as acting national secretary can never be a national chairman of the party unless there is a dissolution and a new convention took place.

“Apapa that took over can also not preside over any meeting because he is illegal.”

Okafor further expressed concerns about the recent developments within the party and the potential impact it could have on the upcoming legal battle to challenge the results of the 2023 presidential election.

He blamed the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi for allowing the crisis in the party to fester for long.

Recall that on Thursday, seven members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party, announced the replacement of the suspended chairman of the party, Julius Abure with the National Vice-Chairman (South), Lamidi Bashir Apapa, as the acting chairman of the party.

The NWC members based their decision on the judgement of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court which restrained Julius Abure from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party.

But Okafor warned that the crisis could undermine the credibility of the party, which could ultimately harm Obi’s legal case.

He, therefore, urged the former Anambra governor to take swift action to resolve the crisis and prevent it from escalating any further.

Okafor stated: “Peter did not handle my case very well. He was busy doing his campaigns and maybe delegated incompetent hands to go and sort out the problem. The people he delegated did not do that job very well

“Anytime there is trouble only roundtable will solve it, and such discussions must not come with threats.

“So, it is disheartening that this kind of thing (leadership crisis) will be happening in the Labour Party that has not seen the kind of light it is seeing today before.

“What is happening now occurred because Obi, as a leader, delegated incompetent people to go and sort out this problem. Instead of sorting out the problem, they were busy threatening and boasting of what they can do. Today, the party is paying dearly for it.

“Instead of Peter Obi to concentrate on his case at the tribunal, they want him to come down and start dealing with Abure issue? No.

“Nevertheless, the Abure issue, if care is not taken will affect him (Obi) too badly, because Abure is not the party’s national chairman. The constitution of the party made it clear that the acting national secretary cannot become the Chairman in the absence of the Chairman.”

The former Deputy National Chairman, however, highlighted the importance of unity within the party and called on all members to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal.

He also warned that any further infighting within the party could lead to irreparable damage and could ultimately cost the party and its candidates the election.

“Nigerians, all Labour Party members, all Obidients should maintain peace. Nobody should take laws into his hands.

“We have the courts. I have been patiently waiting for Court judgement (over the crisis in LP) because it is the hope of the common man. Peace is what we must maintain,” Okafor stressed.