Apapa seeks to be recognized as LP Chairman at next tribunal hearing 

The acting national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Lamidi Apapa, has made it known that he  intends to attend the pre-hearing on Peter Obi’s petition against Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) on Friday, May 19th.

“I intend to go. Maybe by the next one, I will be recognised,” Apapa said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, May 18th when he asked whether he planned to attend the Tribunal again following the jeers he got from the LP supporters on Wednesday.

He confirmed his attendance of the next hearing following a clash about sitting arrangement between him and the Director General(DG) of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign council, Akin Osuntokun. 

The supporters of the opposing LP faction outside the court were captured in a video screaming, ‘Ole’ (loosely translated as a thief), ‘Imposter’ etc., as Apapa’s supporters led him away.

Apapa, however, told Channels TV that he went to the Tribunal to assert his authority as the acting national chairman of the Labour party.

“I was at the Tribunal yesterday to assert my authority as the Acting National Chairman of the party,” Apapa said.

“When I got there, there was a seat provided for the chairman of the party. I moved down to see Mr Osuntokun and told him that since I am there, he is not supposed to be there.”

Apapa, however, said he was not recognised, hence, the clash at the Tribunal. He also said that he voted for Obi in Ibadan and he won in his polling unit.

“The way I campaigned for Mr. Obi, may God reward me,” he said. Apapa said he should be trusted by all party members having been there for 21 years.