Lamidi Apapa has insisted that he is the acting National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) saying he enjoys the support of the followers of the party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi, otherwise known as “Obidients.”
Apapa stated this while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
The Labour Party chieftain insists that he is the party’s acting national chairman. He said, “As of today, I am the acting national chairman of the party.”
Recall that, Apapa, the deputy national chairman (south) had last week declared himself as the party’s national chairman following a fresh legal tussle in the party.
After the his declaration, Labour Party state chairmen in the 36 states of the federation disowned the factional leadership, insisting on Julius Abure as the party’s leader.
But, Apapa maintains he is the acting national chairman of the party. “As of today, I am the acting national chairman of the party,” he said.
Apapa has been accused of being sponsored by opponents to destroy the party, the LP chieftain refuted the claims, saying as a foundational member of the LP, he won’t do such.
“That is not true. Nobody is sponsoring me. For anybody to now say I want to run down the party, that is a lie,” Apapa said.
He says since a court had ordered four national officers of the party including Abure to stop parading themselves as such, his move is in the right direction.
“Now, if that has happened, what else? The next person should take over,” he said, noting that seven members of the LP National Working Committee (NWC) voted for him as the acting chairman of the party.”
When asked if Obi’s supporters are behind him, Apapa said, “I think so. When you say Obidients’ side, are they not Nigerians?”
But Apapa said some of the “Obidient” movement, who have criticised his action were acting out of ignorance.
He said, “Let me tell you if they know what transpired, they will know they are acting out of ignorance.”
