In a dramatic turn of events at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Lamidi Apapa, narrowly escaped a violent mob attack on Wednesday. Apapa, who was present at the court as the Acting National Chairman of the party, expressed gratitude to God for saving his life.
Following his release from protective custody by security operatives, Apapa addressed reporters, explaining his purpose for attending the court proceedings. He intended to assert his position as the Acting National Chairman and gain insight into the progress of the petition filed by the LP candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
Apapa revealed that even before the court proceedings commenced, he sensed trouble when Mr. Akin Osuntokun, the Director-General of Obi’s campaign organization, refused to vacate a chair reserved for the party’s chairman. Apapa confronted Osuntokun, asserting his right to the seat since he was present in court that day.
Regarding the mob attack, Apapa recounted, “They pounced on me, removed my cap, and I am very sure that if not for you people (journalists) being there, I would have been dead by now.” He accused Obi of being aware of the planned attack, stating that members of the presidential campaign group had vowed to deal with him if he attended the court session during a peace-brokering meeting held the previous day.
Dismissing allegations of accepting a bribe of N500 million to sabotage Obi’s petition against President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Apapa branded Obi as a liar. He emphasized his longstanding commitment of over 21 years to the LP, contrasting it with Obi’s relatively short tenure of less than a year. Apapa also affirmed that he never accepted any illicit funds and challenged anyone with evidence to come forward.
Apapa further accused Obi of disregarding a court order that suspended the Julius Abure-led executives of the party. Referring to the incident where his cap was forcefully removed by angry youths at the court premises, Apapa stated, “As you can see, I have recovered my cap. But as for the person that removed my cap, he will suffer till the end of his life. I saw him. He is a young chap, but he will never grow old.”
In conclusion, Apapa’s presence at the Court of Appeal in Abuja became a scene of chaos and confrontation, with his life narrowly saved from a violent mob attack. The LP factional chairman refuted allegations against him, accused Obi of dishonesty, and expressed determination to fight for his position within the party.
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