It took the intervention of men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), who led him away, to save Lamidi Apapa, self-styled National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), from the hands of a crowd at the premises of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) on Wednesday.
Police operatives were seen half dragging, have leading him away from a motley crowd booing him out of the court premises, where he had gone to enforce his claim that he is the authentic National Chairman of the party, which is currently challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Ahmed Bola Tinubu, winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
Drama had stated in the courtroom of the Court of Appeal premises, used as the PEPT, when Apapa and his camp confronted Akin Osuntokun, Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council (ODCC), urging him to vacate the seat meant for officials of the party, shortly after the doors were opened to admit the lawyers and litigants at about 8:05am for the day’s proceedings.
Osuntokun and other party bigwigs, who were already seated in the plaintiffs’ gallery, he approached refused to budge to the demand, with Apapa insisting that as the rightful head of the Labour Party, he belonged in the plaintiffs’ gallery.
A heated arguments then ensued leading to fingers being pointed at each other, before court officials intervened to calm down the situation, Josephine Ekperobe, Secretary of the PEPT, stepping in.
Justice Haruna Tsamani, leading the five-man panel of the tribunal, however recognised only Obi, when the case was called as two factions, one led by Apapa and another led by Dudu Manugu, the Women Leader, tried to enter appearances on behalf of the party, urging the two parties to go and sort out themselves.
Refusing to take an appearance for the LP as acting National Chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, as well as the National Women’s Leader of the party, Dudu Manugu, tried to make an appearance for Labour Party when the petition was called.
Justice Haruna Tsamani, who noted that if two persons were making an appearance for the party in a suit, they would not be put on record, later adjourned the matter, in which Obi is challenging Tinubu’s declaration as president by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to May 19, 10 days to his inauguration as Nigeria’s 16th President.
Outside the court, the police had a hectic time trying to shield the obviously scared Apapa, from the surging crowd believed to be members of of the Labour Party (LP), who had accused him of being a mole for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Tinubu.
The crowd, which confronted the heavily harassed Apapa, were overheard shouting ole, ole, ole, meaning thief, as the surged forward towards him, but the police, joined by other sympathisers, continued to shield him, even as his cap and flowing gown had now been removed.