SAHARA REPORTERS
The leadership tussle in the Labour Party has taken a different twist as the factional acting chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, has suspended five party executive members.
The suspended members were punished for attending the National Executive Council meeting convened by the embattled party chairman, Julius Abure in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police as a reaction to his purported suspension by the NEC.
The letter dated April 18, 2023, was signed by the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi and copied to the “DG- Department of State Security Service; Acting National Chairman of Labour Party; LP-NWC, NEC; Press: Electronic, Print, Social Media; Mr Peter Obi, 2023 Presidential Candidate of Labour Party and Fellow Nigerians”.
It listed Ladi Iliya Deputy National Chairman, NLC; Ayo Olorunfemi, Deputy National Chairman, TUC; Kennedy Chigozie Ahanotu, Deputy National Secretary; Dudu Manuga, National Women Leader and Innocent Okeke, National Vice Chairman South East as the affected members.
The National Executive Council of the party on Tuesday suspended its Acting National Chairman, Apapa and five others.
Apapa and the other affected members were suspended over alleged anti-party activities but the details were not specified.
Apapa had rejected his suspension from the party, saying he was still in charge and had the recognition of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Apapa explained why Abure was not qualified by law to hold any NEC meeting of the party, noting that there is a pending court order of his suspension in the letter addressed to the police boss.
According to him, he is still the valid leader of the party.
He urged the candidate of the party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, and other members to disassociate themselves from Abure’s leadership…
