*It’s impossible, he’s an impostor – LP

Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, the self-acclaimed National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has entered another gear in his bid to frustrate the party, with a letter asking the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to dismiss all cases filed by Peter Obi the party’s presidential candidate in the February 25 election, against Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on the ground that the party was no longer interested continuing with them.

Obi is challenging Tinubu, who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on March 1, on ground including that he did not win 25 per cent of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as required by the constitution.

Apapa, had in a renewed onslaught on the party leadership, declared himself as the new boss after a court sitting in Abuja, ordered Julius Abure, who led the LP into the last election not to parade himself as national chairman, a move that has been dismissed by chairmen of the party in the 36 states of the federation.

Tuesday, the LP, in a statement, by its spokesman, Dr. Obiorah Ifoh, raised the alarm over Apapa’s latest move, asking the PEPT to disregard the “antics,” as the man who claimed to be the new leader, had since been suspended by the party and therefore, had no locus.

Ifo, the Acting National Publicity Secretary, said in a statement: “We are by this statement informing all arms of judiciary, including the Tribunals and courts, to ignore the ignoble antics of these compromised suspended members of the party. 

“We are also calling on the police, DSS and EFCC to arrest these enemies of democracy. 

“Apapa and his co-travellers are desperate to satisfy their pay masters who are bent on threatening Nigeria’s democracy.

“Approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates across the country is the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians will resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil.

“Their actions prove that they are working against the party and that they are working to destroy the party. 

“If they claim that they have problem with the national leadership of the party, will they also claim that they have problem with the candidates of the party. 

“What offence have the candidates of the party committed that they are now moving around to withdraw their matters from the tribunal?

“The leadership of the Labour Party is therefore calling on the tribunals to disregard any letter emanating from our suspended National Legal Adviser, Samuel Akingbade to the effect that all our cases are to be withdrawn. 

“We are also calling on the presidential election tribunal to disregard such letters from these ex officials of our party asking for the withdrawal of HE Peter Obi’s petition,” Dr. Ifoh stated.