- Peter Obi Grapples with Party’s Internal Squabbles
By Yemi Adingupu
There is no end in sight for the problems of the Labour Party as the Lamidi Apapa-led faction insists on the Swearing-in of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, pending the determination of the petitions before the Presidential Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The faction said it had no problem with Tinubu taking his oath of office on that day and distanced itself from those calling for an interim government instead.
The Labour Party has been embroiled in a leadership crisis that has pitted the incumbent National Chairman, Mr. Julius Abure with his deputy, Mr. Lamidi Apapa. Mr. Abure has been reportedly restrained by the Court to cease parading himself as the occupier of the office.
In the recent controversy, the Spokesman of the Apapa faction, Mr Abayomi Arabambi noted that the swearing-in of Tinubu “may not have any impact on the ongoing legal tussle on the presidential election involving our party, APC and INEC.”
Mr. Arabambi said in a press release in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that the Electoral Act and the Constitution of Nigeria did not give 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 section 146 of the Nigeria Constitution, Arabambi said only death or permanent incapacity can stop the swearing in of the President-elect.
He noted that “a refusal to swear-in Tinubu as President on May 29, will create a vacuum in the system, adding that the law does not allow this.
The factional Spokesman disclosed that “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.”
He opined that the law has to be complied with and if anybody wants to change the situation they would first have to change the law.
“Labour Party warns all Obidiots clandestinely parading themselves as LP members and other Obidients who may be agitating that the President-elect should not be sworn in to have a rethink as Labour Party will not support any unlawful means of agitations or change of government violently,” he said.
He said instead that the LP would continue to pursue its case in court.
