The factional chairman of the Labour Party, Lamidi Apapa, has ordered the legal counsels, representing the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, at the Presidential Election Petition Court, to give him an update on the ongoing presidential election case, at the tribunal, within 48 hours.
Apapa, who was affirmed as the acting chairman of the party, by an Abuja High Court on Friday, gave the order, after a parallel meeting of the National Executive Council of the party in Bauchi on Friday.
Apapa, who reacted to the ruling in a viral video shared on Twitter, said he was so pleased that justice has taken place, noting that he is now in charge of the party affair.
“There is no doubt that I am now in charge. It has now been confirmed by the court that I have the right to be in charge until another order takes place.
“As of today, I am the acting national chairman of the party and any other person that parades himself as the chairman is doing so illegally.
“I want to invite all the lawyers that are in charge, representing Labour Party at the election tribunal, to give me updates in the next 48 hours because I am the one in charge and the one in the driver’s seat,” he stated.
It would be recalled that Mr Apapa, who was the national vice chairman (South) of the party, declared himself as the party’s acting chair after the Abuja High Court ruled that, the embattled chairman of the party, Julius Abure and some other members of the National Working Committee, should stop parading themselves as the Executives of the party, following a forgery case, established against them.
Meanwhile, Justice Hamza Muazu, who ruled in favour of Apapa on Friday, stated that he will go ahead to hear the substantive matter.
However, the matter was adjourned to Friday, May 19, for further deliberation.
