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The factional Chairman of the Labour Party, Lamidi Apapa, has described the party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, as "a liar."
Abure said this during a press conference he granted shortly after he clashed with officials belonging to another faction of the party over seating arrangement at the President Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) hearing on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
Pulse reports that a scuffle ensued in court when Apapa walked into the premises in the company of his supporters and officials of his faction.
Apapa, who has been in a long-running struggle with Julius Abure over the party leadership, had wanted to exert some authority following a court ruling on Friday, May 12, 2023, but was rebuffed by officials of the opposing faction who were already seated in court.
This led to a shouting match in the courtroom as Labour Party officials and Apapa supporters shouted at each other at the top of their voices. Apapa was subsequently booed by some Labour Party supporters as he was exiting the court premises.
Speaking to the press after the drama, the factional Chairman reiterated that he has not been induced by money to carry out his actions and challenged anyone with evidence to the contrary to come forward.
"Well the first question of allegation of corruption or bribe taking. It is not true. And I've told them severally, if you've an evidence to prove, bring your evidence that I have collected money or we have collected money from anybody. That's absolutely untrue," Apapa said.
Obi, who has pledged his support for Abure as the authentic Labour Party Chairman, had said in a recent interview that he doesn't know Apapa and has never interacted with him before.
Reacting to the claim, Apapa accused Obi of lying, vowing that he will expose the Labour Party’s presidential candidate.
Apapa said, "You see, Peter Obi taking side with Abure. I don't want to keep on exposing him but he deserves to be exposed. Sometime ago, one of the interview he granted, he said he doesn't know me at all. I want to tell the world, he's a liar. And let me tell why I said he's a liar. I've been trying to cover him but he doesn't deserve it.
"The reasons are these: One, this is a man during his primary in Asaba, I did the opening prayer. And I was not a young officer member, I was the Deputy National Chairman of the party then."