As the Labour Party’s leadership tussle threatens to tear it apart, Lamidi Apapa, its deputy national chairman (South), says the Obidients railing against him are acting out of ignorance.

Mr Apapa assumed leadership of the party following a court judgment stopping the party’s chair Julius Abure, the national secretary, Farouk Ibrahim, and two others from parading themselves as national officers.

“As of today, I am the acting national chairman of the party,” Mr Apapa said Sunday night in an interview with Channels TV. “I think the Obidient movement are on my side. Let me tell you this when you say Obidient side (movement), are they not Nigerians? We are all Nigerians.” 

When asked if he was aware of the Obidient movement’s online criticisms against him, Mr Apapa said, “Everybody has (the) freedom to say whatever they like without asking what has transpired. If they know what transpired, they will know they are acting out of ignorance.” 

He added that his leadership did not require “this large number” or “anybody to sponsor (a) large group.” 

Mr Apata explained, “My leadership as of today does not require this large number or for anybody to sponsor (a) large group. The point is this: I’m not arguing with Abure’s leadership. My argument with him is this, if it has to do with the Labour Party’s constitution, he may be right. But when it has to do with the laws of the land, the Labour Party’s constitution does not allow anybody to run foul of the Nigerian constitution.” 

He pointed out that since the court had ordered the embattled chair from parading himself as Labour Party’s national officer, “he ceases to be the chairman of the party. By virtue of the law, he is bound to step aside.”

However, Yunusa Tanko, spokesman for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, told Peoples Gazette on Monday that Mr Apapa’s claim contradicted the party’s position.

“Apapa may have grievances. The procedure of the party is very clear. If you have grievances, you come into the party’s internal mechanism of the party to deal with it,” Mr Tanko explained. “This particular matter has not been tabled before the national working committee. So he cannot lay claim to a position when majority of the people have not decided on it.”

Mr Tanko added that Article 17 of the Labour Party’s constitution “says you cannot remove a party chairman until when you call for a party convention specifically for the removal of that particular person until that is done or the person himself resigns.” 

He insisted that Mr Apapa could not usurp the party’s constitutional provision. 

“It is not acceptable,” Mr Tanko reiterated.