By Praise Chinecherem
Forum of Labour Party (LP) House of Assembly Candidates in Anambra State has warned Lamidi Apapa and Peter Okoye to desist from actions capable of causing disunity in the party.
A group within the party made up of seven members of the National Working Committee (NWC) had installed the National Vice-Chairman (South), Apapa, as acting chairman, replacing Julius Abure.
It claimed to be acting on judgement of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court which it said restrained Abure from parading himself as National Chairman of the party.
Similarly, Peter Okoye, had during a press briefing in Anambra announced that a new LP state executive headed by himself had emerged and that Hon Ugochukwu Emeh’s had ceased to be the state party chairman.
However, the LP House of Assembly Candidates, in a communique issued after their meeting in Awka, advised the factional leaders to desist from impersonating the party at national and state level or risk weight of the law.
The forum noted that the only leadership of the Party remained the Barr. Julius Abure led NWC as affirmed by the Court, calling on Apapa, Okoye and others to desist from distracting party’s efforts to recover its stolen mandates.
The statement reads in part, “The only Leadership of our great Party remains the Barr. Julius Abure led NWC as affirmed by the Court, which has vacated the Restraining Order issued against him.
“We therefore call on the renegades and wannabes led by Mr. Lamidi Apapa to understand that the game is up and desist forthwith from causing more distractions for the Party in this critical time of tremendous efforts to recover our stolen mandates.
“We warn all the mischievous elements in the Anambra State chapter of the Labour Party, especially one Mr. Peter Okoye and Chibueze Adirika, who recently illegally and fraudulently convened and attended a purported State Executive Council meeting of the Party, to desist from such misleading and fraudulent venture as we will spare nothing in exposing them and their criminal transactions with their known sponsors and paymasters.
“While we shall not hesitate to unleash the full weight of the law on perpetrators and their enablers should they refuse to stop, we hereby warn them of the severe consequences of impersonation. The Labour Party in Anambra State remains one united family under the leadership of Chief Ugochukwu Emeh.”
The group commended and passed vote of confidence on the leadership of Barr. Julius Abure National Working Committee and Chief Ugochukwu Emeh State Working Committee, for the transparent and smooth piloting of the party activities prior, during and after the 2023 General Elections.
Expressing optimism that its presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, as well as other candidates of the party will reclaim their mandate through tribunal, it reassured the party leadership of unflinching support going forward both in the state and national.
