Published 12th May, 2023

By Abimbola Abatta

Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, the factional leader of the Labour Party (LP), has given the lawyers representing the party at the presidential election petitions tribunal 48 hours to update him on the case.

Apapa gave the ultimatum on Friday shortly after the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in his favour as the acting national chairman of the party.

Last month, the Federal High Court stopped Julius Abure from parading himself as the chairman of the party.

Following the suspension of Abure, Apapa, who was the national vice chairman in the southern region, was declared the acting chairman of the party.

The Abure faction of the party has, however, kicked against the announcement as they insisted that Abure was still the chairman.

In a video shared on Twitter on Friday, Apapa said, “I am so pleased that justice has taken place today. There is no doubt that I am now in charge. It has now been confirmed by the court that I have the right to be in charge until another order takes place. As of today, I am the acting national chairman of the party, and any other person that parades himself as the chairman is doing so illegally.

“I want to invite all the lawyers that are in charge, representing Labour Party at the election tribunal, to give me updates in the next 48 hours because I am the one in charge and the one in the driver’s seat.”

Reacting to this, Obiora Ifoh, acting national publicity secretary of the party and Abure’s loyalist, said the court’s ruling would be appealed.

“The court has fixed Friday, May 19, for the continuation of the matter. I can assure the teeming supporters of LP that we will appeal this ruling. It is not a judgement because we know we will never get justice from this court,” he said.

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