· Says Obi’s agitation impossible, unconstitutional
· Apapa, Arabambi hugely sponsored by APC to destabilize LP, Abure replies
The Apapa-led faction on Thursday, said it backs the scheduled presidential inauguration on May 29, just as it distanced itself from the call for the conclusion of the presidential election petitions before the swearing in of a new president.
The faction in a statement issued by its factional National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, distanced itself from the agitations that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, should not be sworn in on May 29, pending the resolution of the petitions before the presidential election tribunal.
It would be recalled that the Julius Abure-led faction of Labour Party had in a statement by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ofoh, alleged that three APC governors from the South West and South East are hugely funding the activities of the Lamidi Apapa-led faction to destabilize and frustrate the LP petition at the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu as president-elect
Arabambi, argued that the Electoral Act and the Constitution of Nigeria do not give provide room for a vacuum, “so whether the President-elect is sworn in or not, there is right to remove him legally if it is found out that he was not duly elected.”
Citing sections 136 and 146 of the constitution, Arabambi said; “What Peter Obi is crying for is not supported by the law.”
He argued that “a refusal to swear in Tinubu as President will create a vacuum in the system”, adding that the law abhors this.
“Even Peter Obi once benefitted from the system of being sworn into office despite pending petitions filed against him before the tribunal by Andy Uba.”
“The Law has to be complied with, which is to swear in Tinubu as president, and if anybody wants to change the narrative, they will have to change the law,” he stated.
Responding to Apapa’s position, the Julius Abure-led faction said the text of the statement which was read as commercial in about three television stations in prime time hours suggests that the real sponsors of the crisis in the Labour Party would stop at nothing in ensuring that they sustain the imbroglio.
Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, Obiorah Ifoh in a statement, noted that “the huge financial war-chest being deployed to achieve this inglorious plot to halt a popular aspiration of millions of Nigerians for a new and prosperous nation, leaves a huge gap on the dexterity and desperation of these evil plotters.”
He maintained that in all Peter Obi’s public and private statements, he has never said or by implication, insinuate that May 29 should be shifted.
“He is a democrat and he is one person that believes so much in the judiciary as the last arbiter, and that is why he has resorted to the court to seek justice.
“Having said that, we are perturbed by the mouth-piece with which the All Progressives Congress, APC chose to express their fears. The possibility of not making it to Eagles square on the 29th May, has continued to give them both sleepless night and migraine, and has pushed them into deploying an already compromised and fallen members of the Labour Party, led by Apapa and Arabambi as their compere to sing a song danced only by themselves. What we are seeing today is simply ‘the Hand of Esau, Voice of Jacob’.
“You do not need to spend millions of Naira to tell Nigerians what they already know through various media spaces. Nigerians already know that you are sponsored to work against the presidential ambition of Peter Obi. No one is in doubt of Apapa camp’s altruistic ambition to remain a destructive agent in the Labour Party.
“Few weeks ago, you will recall how we alerted Nigerians of plots by this faction to withdraw the cases filled by some of our candidates in the tribunals, allegations they are yet to exonerate themselves. We have also alerted Nigerians how these men who have no known source of income are now flying private jets and living in 5-star hotels.
“Part of their plots to scuttle the on going presidential tribunal as shamelessly boasted by Arabambi is to desecrate the sanctity of the Tribunal venue on the next adjourned date with Lamidi Alaba forcing himself to appear as a representative of the Labour Party. This will be the height of the APC’s evil plot and executed by Apapa and his gang to frustrate the peaceful judicial process being witnessed by Nigerians. They are hoping to inject tumultuous scene and probably force the process to a halt.
“Nigerians cannot be taken for granted any longer and no amount of violence hatched and perpetuated by APC using the faction they created in Labour Party will stop what destiny has purposed for the nation. We are therefore urging Nigerians to stop these paid hirelings who will stop at nothing from frustrating the will of God for Nigerians,” Abure warns.