Labour Party crisis worsens as ex-deputy chair asks court to sack Abure, Apapa

A former deputy chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Callistus Okafor has approached the Supreme Court to declare him as the authentic chair of the party.

Speaking with journalists on Friday, Okafor said the constitution of the LP still acknowledges him as the substantive deputy chairman of the party.

He also said Lamidi Apapa, the acting chair could not emerge in illegality, as his “emergence would have been better if there was no consent judgment”. 

Okafor added that with the consent judgment, Julius Abure is an illegal LP chairman.

“I am the only acting national chairman of the Labour Party. Every other person parading himself as such is fake. Lamidi Apapa and Abure are both fake,” Okafor said.

“Let everybody know that I have approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday, May 18 and prayed the apex court to declare Abure’s LP chairmanship claims, illegal.

“I have drawn the attention of the court to the fact that the acting secretary of the LP, based on the party’s constitution, cannot emerge as the Chairman.

“I have also asked the supreme court to declare null and void and of no effect, whatever Abure has done in his so-called capacity as the chairman of the LP.

“I specifically drew the attention of the honourable justices of the apex court to the fact that Abure has conducted an illegal convention and primaries for LP which he has no legal power to do.

“I have also asked the court to recognise my party’s membership list because the list is with me and could be verified.”

The Labour Party which became very popular when former Anambra governor, Peter Obi emerged as its presidential candidate has plunged into a leadership crisis since Apapa, deputy national chairman of the party (south), declared himself the acting national chairman following the sack of Julius Abure by a court.

In April, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the LP’s national chairman.

The LP had said Apapa has been suspended over “anti-party activities” alongside Akingbade, national legal adviser; Gbenga Daramola, national financial secretary; Anselem Eragbe, national youth leader; and Abayomi Arabambi, national publicity secretary.

Meanwhile, chieftains of the party including Obi had said there is no crisis in the party, insisting that Abure remains the chairman.