The crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) after the 2023 general elections took another dimension as Acting Chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa yesterday rejected his purported suspension by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC).
FreshPage reports that NEC of the party had on Tuesday announced Apapa’s suspension, and five others, over alleged anti-party activities.
FreshPage recalls Apapa took over leadership of the party following a court order suspending the National Chairman, Julius Abure, and three others, barring them from parading themselves as party officials.
READ ALSO: Lamidi Apapa, Five Others Suspended By Labour Party For Anti-party
Speaking on the controversy yesterday, Apapa rejected the purported suspension, saying he remains acting chairman. He said the party’s constitution supports his position. According to him, LP’s constitution stipulates that when the chairman is unable to carry out his duty, his deputy should act. He dismissed the suspension, saying he only heard about it over social media.
The embattled chieftain also denied allegations that he was being sponsored by some individuals to destroy the party. He said those rejecting his leadership at this time lacked historical knowledge.
He said: “I am surprised over a statement that I am causing confusion in the party. As of today, I am the oldest in the party in terms of age and length of service. For anybody to say I am not known in the party surprises me a lot.”
Asked if he was aware of his suspension, he said: “I was told that I have been suspended from the party, but I am not suspended.
Apapa also said he was not at the meeting where the decision of his purported suspension was taken, saying he remains the valid chairman of the Labour Party.
“I was not at the last NEC meeting because I was not invited. They thought I was not supposed to be there. As of today, I am the only legitimate acting chairman of the party. Those in the NLC saying they have rejected me lack knowledge of history. When this party was formed, I was the Oyo State Secretary. Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of Edo State, was the president of NLC. He directed that those of us from the private sector should take the command of the party at the state level. This gave me the opportunity to become the first chairman in Oyo State. I was from NUPENG at the time. Our office was used as the secretariat for the party of Social Democracy before it became the Labour Party. Who will now say I am new in this party?
“I totally reject the purported suspension on grounds that the man that called for the NEC meeting where the plan was hatched does not have the power to call for such a meeting. The court has ordered that he should desist from parading himself as the party chairman and that order has not been vacated.”
