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The factional National Chairman of the Labour, Lamidi Apapa, has claimed that he remains the substantive chairman of the party following a court decision on Friday, May 12, 2023.
Apapa, therefore, summoned all the lawyers currently representing the Labour Party at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to come and furnish him with details of proceedings at the tribunal within the next 48 hours.
He said this shortly after an Abuja Federal High Court ruled on Friday that it has jurisdiction to hear the case before it regarding the leadership tussle in Labour Party.
Pulse reports that the Julius Abure led-Labour Party had asked the court to declare that it doesn't have jurisdiction to hear the case which was filed by the Apapa faction claiming it was an internal party affair.
It would be recalled that Apapa had taken over as the party's National Chairman immediately after an Abuja High Court ordered Abure to stay away from parading himself as the national chairman following suspension imposed on him by his Ward in Edo State over alleged anti-party activities.
The allegations against Abure include bribery, forgery, and conspiracy against the party, but a High Court in Benin subsequently gave an order restraining anybody from removing the embattled party chairman from his office.
His status was solidified by the Labour Party's National Executive Council (NEC) during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, back in April, which was also attended by the party's presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
However, reacting to the recent court ruling, Apapa expressed his appreciation for the swiftness of the court in dispensing a verdict in the suit. He argued that the ruling has now confirmed that he has the right to be in charge until another ruling says otherwise.
Apapa said: "I'm so pleased that justice has taken place today because under normal circumstances we begin to doubt but today we're happy that the judge has acted promptly and reasonably. There's no doubt that I'm now in charge. It has now been confirmed by the court that I have the right to be in charge until another order is taking place. As of today, I'm the acting chairman of the party and anybody who parades himself, apart from myself is acting illegally.
"And I want to tell the whole world that, come next Friday the real suit will start where the issues of forgery and conspiracy and so forth will commence and from there we know actually if that offense has been committed or not.
"I want to use this opportunity again to tell the whole world, that the tribunal that is going on, I want to invite all the lawyers that are representing the Labour Party that they should come for a briefing. They should come and give me updates of what is happening in that tribunal within the next 48 hours because right now I'm the person on the driver's seat and I'm fully in charge. I'm using this opportunity for them to know that I'm fully in charge."