Lamidi Apapa declares self LP chair as Abure alleges invasion of HQ by thugs

Lamidi Apapa, deputy national chairman of the Labour Party (south), says he has taken charge of the affairs of the party.

The declaration came after Julius Abure, national chairman of the party, alleged that thugs aided by police officers invaded the party’s headquarters in the federal capital territory (FCT) and caused damage to the property.

However, Abure blamed the alleged thug invasion on the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Few minutes ago, the national headquarters of the Labour Party in Abuja witnessed a massive attack and was broken into by a detachment of the Nigerian Police and thugs believed to be working for the All Progressives Congress,” he said.

“A court of competent jurisdiction only yesterday ordered that I, Julius Abure remain the national chairman, and should not be restrained from performing my duties, it, therefore, baffles me why the Nigerian Police should allow itself to be used to perpetrate illegalities.”

But speaking with reporters at the party’s headquarters on Thursday, Apapa said he has taken over the affairs of the party following a court order restraining Abure from parading himself as chairman of the party.

Apapa said Saleh Lawan is the acting national secretary of the party.

The court had restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary, Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary, and Oluchi Opara, treasurer, from parading themselves as national officers of the party.

Martins John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, Job Elomah, and Abayomi Arabambi, the plaintiffs, told the court that the defendants forged several documents of the FCT high court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last elections.