Specifically, the party claimed that the Apapa faction has approaching a court in Kano state to seek the nullification of the party’s recent electoral victories. This was disclosed in a statement by the party’s acting National publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh.

The statement reads:

The Labour Party has been informed of an illegal attempt by a breakaway group in the party led by Lamidi Apapa to misguide a Kano state High court to invalidate all the elections won by the Labour Party in the just concluded general election.

Suspended National Legal Adviser and a key member of the disgraced Apapa group, Samuel Akingbade Oyelekan, on Wednesday while the Presidential Appeal Tribunal was sitting in Abuja with all attentions focused on it, clandestinely sneaked out of Abuja to Kano state where he in collaboration with some members of the other political parties asked the court to invalidate all the elections won by the Labour Party, particularly, the national assembly in the 36 states and FCT on the ground that we didn’t submit register of voters to INEC.

Akingbade who presented himself as representing the Labour Party, did not oppose the motion, thus forcing the helpless judge to reserve judgement for tomorrow.

Though, the party will appear before the court on Thursday to set aside the proceedings, but we have earlier raised the alarm of the plots by the opposition parties to ensure that Labour Party is reduced to the rubbles. Few weeks ago, we alerted Nigerians of plots to hijack the party and by extension, target all our cases in the tribunal. We have since produced evidences of the letters initiated by Akingbade to various tribunals asking for withdrawal of cases before them.

We are using this medium to alert the judiciary and all law enforcement agencies, particularly, the police, DSS to note that Samuel Akingbade, Lamidi Apapa, Abayomi Arabambi and everyone in that camp have ceased to be representing Labour Party in whatever capacity. This statement serves as a disclaimer on them and for the information of Nigerians.

These agents have taken their hatchet job to a new level and will stop at nothing in doing their paymasters bid to truncate our case in various tribunal. Nigerians must be on alert and join forces in ensuring that all the anti Democratic forces in our midst are subdued.

Peter Obi’s lack of respect for rule of law responsible for Labour Party crisis – Lamidi Apapa

The factional National Chairman of the crisis-ridden Labour Party (LP) Basiru Lamidi Apapa has said the lack of respect for the rule of law by the Presidential candidate of the party in the February election, Mr Peter Obi was responsible for the leadership crisis rocking the party.

He said the leadership crisis would not have erupted if Obi had withdrawn recognition from the suspended National Chairman of the party, Mr Julius Abure based on the order of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

Apapa, however, asked Obi to wade into the dispute objectively with a view to amicably resolving the lingering crisis.

Apapa at a media briefing after his attack at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja on Wednesday, demanded that Obi be unbiased to get the disputed chairmanship tussle resolved.

At the media briefing attended by the Deputy National Chairman of the party in the North, Mike Ayuba Auta, National Publicity Secretary, Olufemi Abayomi Arabambi and one of the women leaders Mrs Rukayat Salihu Umar, Apapa said what happened at the Presidential tribunal in which fracas broke out in the presence of Peter Obi, was disgraceful and a test to Obi’s leadership quality.

Apapa said the leadership crisis would have been put behind the party if Obi had respected the order of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which ordered Julius Abure and three others from parading themselves as National Officers of the party over their indictment for forgery and perjury.

Tracing the genesis of the leadership crisis, Apapa said that immediately after the order of the court was served on the party, he was unanimously selected in an acting capacity as the National Chairman of the party.

Apapa claimed it was wrong for Obi to accord respect to Abure despite the order of the Court and as a presidential candidate seeking justice from the same court of law.

On allegations of receiving 500 million Naira from external forces to destabilize the party, Apapa vehemently denied such claims, saying he did not receive any money or was influenced by anybody or group to work against the party.

He also said that it was wrong of Peter Obi to have claimed not to know him, claiming they worked closely and even travelled on the same flights with Peter Obi throughout his Presidential electioneering campaign.

He appealed to Obi to be open-minded, neutral and objective to end the crisis.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Deputy National Chairman of the Party in the North, Mike Ayuba Auta denied the allegation that the All Progressive Congress (APC) was behind the crisis adding that the allegation was baseless and unfounded.

Auta apologized to Nigerians, who gave Labour Party over 6 million votes during the last presidential election, adding that they should not be discouraged by the current leadership crisis, assuring that the dispute will soon be resolved.