The leadership crisis riping through the Labour Party in recent times has assumed a new dimension.
The National Vice Chairman (South), Lamidi Apapa, on Thursday took over party affairs, following a court order barring Julius Abure, from parading himself as national chairman forthwith.
At a rally in Edo State, the party’s state chairmen gave Abure a vote of confidence and vowed to support his leadership to advance the party.
Before further action can be taken against the party’s leadership, Apapa stressed that Abure, the three suspended officers — Umar Ibrahim, the national secretary; Oluchi Opara, the national treasurer; and Clement Ojukwu, the national organizing secretary — must obey the court order.
Seven members of the National Working Committee announced Abure’s replacement.
After an urgent meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Apapa said that the NWC had followed the Abuja High Court’s ruling prohibiting Abure from posing as the national chairman of the organization.
Saleh Lawal, the acting national secretary, Rawland Daramola, the acting treasurer, and Prince Reuben Favour took the places of the three other detained officials (Acting Organising Secretary).
Lamidi also reinstated Yomi Arabambi as the National Publicity Secretary and Eragbe Anslem as the National Youth Leader during the meeting. Executive Council members from Ogun, Rivers, and Gombe states were also reinstituted by the NWC.
Due to alleged forgery, the court placed restrictions on three other party officials.