Factional leader. Lamidi Apapa, denies receiving N500m to destabilise Labour party

Briefing newsmen after being attacked by a mob at the presidential election tribunal on Wednesday, May 17, Apapa denied receiving any money or being influenced by anybody or a group to work against the party. He said that Obi must be unbiased and objective in handling the crisis in order to resolve the leadership tussle.

Apapa decried what happened at the PEPC in the presence of Obi, describing it as disgraceful and a test of Obi’s leadership quality. He added that the leadership crisis in the party would have been put behind them if the presidential candidate had respected an order of the FCT High Court sacking Abure and recognizing him, Apapa, as the acting Chairman of the party.

The FCT High Court had ordered Julius Abure and three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party over their indictment for forgery and perjury.

Tracing the genesis of the crisis, Apapa said that immediately after the order of the court was served on the parties, he was unanimously selected to lead the party in an acting capacity. He said that it was wrong for Obi to be according respect to Abure in spite of the order of the court and as a presidential candidate seeking justice from the same court of law.

He implored Obi to be open-minded and neutral in order to end the crisis.