The Labour Party (LP) situation has gotten worse as a result of Tuesday’s suspension of Lamidi Apapa, the acting national chairman, and five other national officers.
Others suspended are Alhaji Saleh Lawal (Deputy Secretary); Rawland Daramola (Financial Secretary); Prince Reuben Favour (Vice Chairman, Southsouth); Samuel Akingbade (Legal Adviser), and Mohammed Akali (Vice Chairman, Northeast).
They were sanctioned by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) for alleged anti-party activities.
The NEC also upheld the decision of the Akure convention, which expelled the National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi.
On 6th April, Apapa and five others took over the affairs of the party following the ruling of a Federal High Court, which barred Julius Abure from parading himself as chairman of the party. The court also restrained three others from functioning.
Acting on the order, Apapa, who doubles as the Vice Chairman (South), took over the party, pending the vacation of the court order.
But the NEC, during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, announced the suspension of Apapa and his acting executive council.
It passed a vote of confidence on the Abure-led NWC at the meeting.
At Tuesday’s NEC meeting were state chairmen; state secretaries; presidential candidate of the party Peter Obi; National Assembly members-elect, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
It was gathered that the meeting was called by Abure and the former National Secretary of the party, Umar Farouk.
The NWC has the power to summon a NEC meeting. Abure and Farouk are members of the NWC.
The NEC also extended the tenure of the present NWC of the party by one year.
In a joint statement by the Deputy National Chairman, Ladi lliya, and Deputy National Secretary, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, the LP said: “NEC in session examined the anti-party activities of some of its members and resolved to “reaffirm and uphold the decision of the Akure convention which expelled Comrade Arabambi Abayomi.
“NEC considered the disciplinary committee report which recommended the suspension of Anslem Eragbe and recommended the same to the next convention for expulsion. Pending the next convention, NEC suspends him indefinitely.
“NEC suspended the following NWC members: Lamidi Apapa; Alhaji Salem Lawal; Prince Favour Reuben; Gbenga Daramola; Samuel Akingbade and Mohammed Akali
“NEC in session constituted a disciplinary Committee as follows: Ladi Illiya; Rotimi Adekunle; Prince Kennedy Ahanotu; Yunusa Tanko; Chief Tony Ezeagwu”.
The NEC also appointed Prince Kennedy Ahanotu as the National Youth Leader; Obiora Ifoh, acting national publicity secretary; Edun Kehinde, acting national Legal adviser; Rotimi Kehinde, deputy national secretary and Chief Anthony Ezeagwu, Acting national vice -chairman (Southsouth).
It added that after considering that the tenure of the current NWC would end in June, the numerous court cases, and the outcomes of the general elections, it would be “most malapropos to convene a national convention.
Consequently, the NEC resolved to extend the tenure of the current NWC by one year in line with “our party’s constitution in article 13 (2) (B) IX”.
The NEC also restated its “implicit confidence in the Abure – led NWC”.
But the suspended spokesman for the party, Arabambi, accused Obi of “ethnic cleansing”.
He also alleged that Obi was not properly nominated as the presidential candidate of the party.
Arabambi claimed that that was the reason the former governor wanted the Apapa-led faction out of the party.
He said: “This is a pointer to the fact that Obi has engaged himself in ethnic cleansing in the LP and the war he wants we are going to give it to him in full force. What he failed to do in the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he wants to do in the LP.
“He (Obi) was in APGA; he wanted total control, but they denied him. He was in the PDP and he wanted total control, but he was denied. When he entered the LP, what he did was to ‘Southernise’ our party, which I raised objection to.
“All our presidential campaign committee members were from Anambra and Imo states. A man who wants to be president should know that there should be federal character. But it is very obvious that Obi is bipolar. He doesn’t understand what he is doing.
“We are ready for war with him. As I speak with you Obi is planning to make his wife the National Woman Leader.”
Arabambi also announced the suspension of five NWC members of the party and the dissolution of the party’s presidential campaign council.
Those suspended by him are Ladi Iliya, deputy national chairman (NLC); Ayo Olorunfemi, deputy national chairman (TUC); Kennedy Ahanotu, deputy national secretary; Dudu Manuga, national woman leader and Innocent Okeke, national vice
Arabambi also announced the suspension of five NWC members of the party and the dissolution of the party’s presidential campaign council.
Those suspended by him are: Ladi Iliya, deputy national chairman (NLC); Ayo Olorunfemi, deputy national chairman (TUC); Kennedy Ahanotu, deputy national secretary; Dudu Manuga, national woman leader and Innocent Okeke, national vice-chairman, Southeast.
He said: The party frowns at the gross misconduct of Mr Peter Obi, who is vigorously pursuing ethnic cleansing. Peter Obi’s mission was to amputate the Labour Party structure so that he and his gang of ethnic bigots would take over the party and fix his wife as the new National Woman Leader of the party to continue his trade.
”Peter Obi is not fit to govern Nigeria for his involvement in the gross disobedience to the FCT High Court order as this is evidence that he will cause civil unrest, turn Nigeria into a banana republic and lawlessness where rule of law will be a thing of the past”.
But, in a statement, Obi said he never expected the journey to a New Nigeria to be an easy one.
He, therefore, called on supporters to be steadfast and calm.
According to the statement by the Obi–Datti Media Office, the former governor assured Nigerians, particularly OBIdients, that he would not give up on the journey until victory was achieved.
Obi said: “If they come at us through land, air, and sea, we will respond to them through land, air, and sea, but we will remain law abiding and will never give up on the nation.
“We are on the right path, and we will remain committed to the course.”
He revealed that there might be more mudslinging on him from those who are against the emergence of a new Nigeria.
He said: “I have always lived my life in the most law-abiding manner possible. Sometimes, as humans, we make mistakes, but I will never knowingly break any law. I am, therefore, not afraid of the lies and propaganda against my person. They are part of the journey to a New Nigeria”.
