Lamidi Apapa, factional national chairman of Labour Party (LP) has fired back at the Julius Abure led camp of the party, stressing that his group is not going back and will never bow to pressure in the quest to get justice.
Apapa said this on Saturday in Lagos State during inaugurate of a 24 man state executive committee led by Adesoyin Olumide as chairman.
Apapa in his address to members of the party in Lagos State, encouraged them to hold on as his side is winning and have won all their cases in court concerning the off-cycle elections across the country.
He said, “Labour Party won’t accept illegality. We believe that there is a court process.Labour Party is a product of law. I have no problem with Abure.
“He is my friend. Trouble started when he believed that I didn’t belong, Labour Party is a creation of law and anyone who violates the law will not be tolerated.
“I want the world to know that they are liars. I was dishonoured by Peter Obi that he didn’t know me. I led the team that hosted him in Edo and Asaba. I was in the team that received him in Ekiti State.
“Despite the illegality carried out by Abure, our principal said that Abure is our man. So, there is no going back, Abure must go.
He further asked the members, “If our leader is a forger, will you accept him? He got a resounding, no in response.
“They are appealing and I don’t know what kind of appeal they are making.
“If they are courageous enough to debunk what I said, I will step down. They said that I am not competent. I want to assure you that you are in the right side. We want more passengers. Let more people come and join us.
“If they resort to blackmail, we won’t bow to their blackmail. There is no going back. Nobody can intimidate us. We will go to all parts of Nigeria and win our cases. We have been wining our cases already.
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“I want to appeal to them to drop all cheap blackmail. I encourage you to continue to do what you are doing because you are on the right track.
“If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) likes it or not, the names of those members that we have conducted primary elections for must be recognized.
“They must go and obey the law. I don’t know why our principal is encouraging illegality,” Apapa said.
The leader of the party in Lagos State, Moshood Salvador, said the party has only one legitimate leader in the country, stressing that members were in the right place.
According to him, “The authority of Labour Party has provided the party stand to you. You have the opportunity today to have the leaders of the party advise you aright.
“Till another convention is done, Lamidi Apapa remains the authentic leader of our part, socially, politically and legally. Those who don’t know need to be advised so that they don’t go astray.
“Do, we welcome everybody into our fold. We appreciate all of you fur being part of this great event,” he said.
The newly inaugurated chairman, Olumide in his address, said that he has the authority to steer the affairs of the party in Lagos State. He noted that the Dayo Ekong group is only a support group.
He encouraged the members to go ahead and prepare for the House of Representatives by-election in Surulere 1, stressing that any candidate that the party puts forward will win.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of Labour Party (LP) under the leadership of Apapa inaugurated a 24 Man Executive Committee (Exco) of Lagos State chapter of the party.
Members of the NWC at event include the the national chairman, Apapa, the National Secretary, Saleh Lawan, the National Publicity Sectary, Abayomi Arabambi, the National Vice Chairman South West, Sina Aroyeun, and a host of others.
The members of Lagos State led by Adesoyin Olumide, as the state chairman was inaugurated.
Other members of the inaugurated exco include, Messrs Omotayo Anjorin (Deputy Chairman), Olanrewaju Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman), Kayode Yusuf (Deputy Chairman), Felix Odusanya (Deputy Chairman), Peter Olusegun (Deputy Chairman), Nnaemeka Anajemba (Secretary) and Richard Oliseyenum (Assistant Secretary).
Others include, Azubike Peters (Treasurer), Akinrele Abioye (Financial Secretary), Kunle Okunola (Organising Secretary), Ademola Hassan (Auditor), Abass Ibrahim (Legal Adviser), Dupe Awe (Woman Leader), Elliot Ebije (Youth Leader), Samard Okofuwa (Publicity Secretary) among others.
