LABOUR PARTY: I Would Have Been Dead By Now – Apapa Recounts Scuffle In Court

The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr Lamidi Apapa, has recounted the scuffle that ensued between he and loyalists of Julius Abure’s faction at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, noting that he would have been a dead man.

ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER had reported that Apapa had a faceoff with the Director General of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign council, Akin Osuntokun, and others over seats meant for litigants.

Apapa had insisted on occupying one of the litigant’s seats on the grounds that he is a representative of the Labour Party.

He was however mobbed safe for the intervention of security operatives who whisked him to safety.

Speaking to journalists shortly after he was released from protective custody by security operatives, Apapa said he was in court to assert himself as the Acting National Chairman of the party and to confirm the state of things on the petition the candidate of the party, Mr. Peter Obi, filed to challenge the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

He told newsmen that he had before the court began its proceedings, sensed trouble, after the Director-General of Obi campaign organizations, Mr. Akin Osuntokun, refused to vacate a chair that was reserved for chairman of the party.

“I went to him and inquired to know on what capacity he was sitting on the seat. I told him that since I am in court today, I am the right person to sit on that chair.”

“They pounced on me, removed my cap and I am very sure that if not that you people (journalists) were there, I would have been dead by now.”

Apapa accused Peter Obi of having knowledge of a planed attack on him, adding that he was threatened not to appear in court during a meeting held on Tuesday to broker peace among the warring factions.

“They threatened that if I appear in court that something would happen” Apapa said.

According to him, the allegation that he received N500million to scuttle Obi’s petition against the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is false.

“I have never taken any kobo from anybody and I have challenged anyone that has any evidence to bring it forward”.

“Apart from money, what else does he (Obi) have that I don’t have?,” Apapa queried.

On the issue that led to the removal of his cap by angry youths that attacked him at the court premises, he said:

“As you can see, I have recovered my cap. But as for the person that removed my cap, he will suffer till the end of his life.

“I saw him. He is a young chap but he will never grow old,” he added.