The Labour Party group led by Lamidi Apapa has distanced itself from calls for an interim administration and the demand that Bola Tinubu not be sworn in on May 29 until the presidential election tribunal in Abuja resolves the petitions.
Apapa’s camp observed Tinubu’s May 29 swearing-in.
“may not affect the present legal tussle over the presidential election involving our party, APC, and INEC.”
Abayomi Arabambi, the faction’s spokesman, stated that the Election Act and Nigeria’s Constitution prohibit a vacuum.
President-elect can be removed legally.
Arabambi stated that he could be legally removed if the president-elect was not properly elected.
Arabambi stated:
“Peter Obi’s demand is illegal.”
He claimed that “a refusal to swear in Tinubu as President will create a vacuum in the system,” which the law forbids.
This system helped Peter Obi.
Arabambi said,
Even Peter Obi was sworn in, notwithstanding Andy Uba’s tribunal requests. The law must be changed to swear in Tinubu as president to shift the narrative. Labour Party advises any Obidiots clandestinely parading 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 violent change of government.”
The representative also said LP would keep suing.
Know this!
Bola Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, won the fiercely contested February 25 presidential election, according to INEC.
The president-elect defeated PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar, who received 6,984,520 votes, with 8,794,726 votes.
Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP placed fourth with 1,496,687 votes, while Labour Party’s Peter Obi placed third with 6,101,533 votes.
Both Obi and Atiku challenged INEC’s results, claiming victory. They also petitioned the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
In an interview on Channels Television on March 22, 2023, Labour Party vice presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed questioned the validity of swearing in Bola Tinubu on May 29 and requested the Chief Justice of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari not to inaugurate him.
He stated that Tinubu’s inauguration would be illegitimate and undermine democracy because he hasn’t met constitutional conditions.
Lamidi Apapa, the Deputy National Chairperson (South), and other National Working Committee members took control of the party’s affairs after a court order forbade Julius Abure and three other people from serving as national officers of the Labour Party.
Lamidi Apapa announced he is the party’s Acting National Chairman and Saleh Lawan the Acting National Secretary.