Labour Party disowns Lamidi Apapa

The Labour Party (LP) on Thursday disowned Lamidi Apapa as its acting chairman.

“The shameful conduct of Mr. Lamidi Apapa at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, 17th May 2023, has once again brought to the fore the desperation of certain elements in the political class to deploy all manner of subterfuge and criminality to divide and despoil the massive goodwill currently being enjoyed by the Labour Party all over Nigeria,” Labour Party spokesman, Comrade Chris Uyot said in a statement.

“It is very unfortunate that Mr. Lamidi Apapa who continues to act lawlessly as an impostor ascribing to himself a vague status as the Chairman of the Labour Party and on the claims of representing the Nigeria Labour Congress, is clearly receiving protection from institutions of the state whose mandate is the preservation of law and order.

“The Labour Party which was founded by the Nigeria Labour Congress more than three decades ago confers institutional membership on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

“Institutional representation of Organised Labour in the leadership of the Labour Party is at the behest of nomination by the leadership of the national labour centers, or from the affiliate unions or state councils of the NLC and TUC.

“As at today, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Oyo State Council of the NLC which Mr. Apapa Lamidi claims affiliation to has completely disclaimed giving Mr. Lamidi Apapa any mandate to act on their behalf in the Labour Party in any capacity whatsoever thus disowning him.”

The national leadership of the Congress said it wonders who Apapa is representing in the Labour Party.

The LP spokesman also urged the Nigerian workers and people to retain its faith in Nigeria’s judiciary as the bastion of justice and the final refuge of the oppressed.

He also called on all progressive Nigerians to remain vigilant as the court case by the Labour Party is considered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

According to Uyot, Organised Labour as the custodian of the ideology and values of the LP will not sit back and watch conmen take advantage of our name and goodwill to sell the Party to the highest bidder.

Apapa was booed by the Labour party’s supporters at the Appeal Court in Abuja on Wednesday after he and the Director General of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign council, Akin Osuntokun had earlier clashed.

The supporters of the opposing LP faction outside the court were captured in a video screaming, ‘Ole’ (loosely translated as a thief), ‘Imposter’ etc., as Apapa’s supporters led him away.