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BREAKINING: Police save Apapa from lynching, as LP supporters boo, chase him out of court

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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.

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Obi to Nigerians: Don’t be despaired, your mandate won’t be lost

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The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says he is aware of some evil designs against himself and his supporters in the coming months.

The former Anambra State governor disclosed this in a statement released on his verified Twitter handle on Monday, May 29, 2023.

The release of the statement coincided with the inauguration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s President at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

 

I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 28, 2023

See full statement:

For all Nigerians, this is a time for deep reflection. It is also a time to re-examine our assumptions, even as we reaffirm our hopes. Let us calmly review our aspirations, in order to recalibrate our expectations and pin down the causes of our missed opportunities and disappointments.

We stand at that critical moment in time when, as a people, we must collectively come to grips with the reality of our injured destiny as well as the reasons for that injury. It is for us to reassess our plight as a young democracy and identify clear pathways to a better and greater future for us all. As we await the verdict of the election tribunal, I urge all Nigerians to use this opportunity to renew their commitment to the Nigerian ideal. That ideal remains noble and worth every sacrifice we can make.

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Nigeria remains our only patrimony and it is a patrimony we must protect, rather than violate. We have no other nation but this, so let us remain committed to rescuing and rebuilding it.

The judiciary is part of the democratic enterprise and a critical governance tool for determining the propriety of the decisions and actions of every citizen and every institution of state. To that extent, and for that reason, I urge everyone to treat it with the respect and dignity it deserves.

We expect that the Nigerian judiciary will use the election cases now before it to reaffirm its independence and integrity. It has to do so, for all our sakes and for itself.

Nigerians must, therefore, remain peaceful and law abiding. No matter the depth of anyone’s reservations about what is going on in the polity today, no matter the real and imagined provocations, and no matter the disagreement out there, we should remember that this will not last forever.

I remain committed, and untiring, in my determination to work with like-minded fellow Nigerians to end the curse of missed opportunities and squandered hope that has become our lot here.

I will never shrink from that original commitment, because I firmly believe that we must change from the present politics of criminality, and corruption, in order to make a new Nigeria possible.

I call on fellow Nigerians, especially the youths to remain steadfast, calm, patient, and peaceful. Our journey may be long and difficult but it is worth it in every way. Victory is assured.

We have to work together to move our beautiful country from corruption and criminality to a center of productivity rather than aimless consumption.

I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.

These schemes will aim at degrading our support base and confusing the public. But, no evil campaign will alter the substance of my character; nor diminish my patriotic commitment to a better Nigeria. It is about the future of our youths. it is about ending the Years of Locust.

In all of this, I thank Nigerians, our great party (LP) and the media. The latter, as the Fourth Estate of the realm, has remained a trusted ally.

This Estate must continue to guide our people on the immense promise of a future in a new Nigeria.

God bless Nigeria and protect the troops keeping us safe in this season of vaulting insecurity.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. –PO

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Tinubu will unveil Ministers in two months *He’ll be different – Faleke

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James Faleke, lawmaker and Secretary of the now defunct All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), has revealed that President Bola Tinubu would unveil members of his cabinet within 60 days.

Channels Television, which quoted him as saying on Monday, at the inauguration of of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as president and vice-president of Nigeria was underway at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the President, would , unveil his cabinet as soon as possible.

Faleke, who promised that the new President would bring a different approach to power, was quoted as saying: “Of course, within 60 days, that’s what the law says. He can announce anytime but I just know he must do it within 60 days.”

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Tinubu: My stand on corruption, insecurity *How I’ll banish poverty in Nigeria

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Eradication of terrorism, waging war against corruption and battling the crippling poverty in Nigeria, would form the fulcrum of a new Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, says he would strive to put in place as his new government began hours ago after assuming the reins of power as the 16th President, after Muhammadu Buhari handed over to him at an elaborate ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Monday.

Vowing to  defend Nigeria from all forms of terror, as well as end extreme poverty in the country, Tinubu, told Nigerians: “I will do that through job creation and food security and end to extreme poverty. I will ensure that corruption is tacked by strenghtening anti-corruption agencies.”

He also promised that his administration would discourage corruption through the introduction of a credit culture, stating: “Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.”

It was also on a day the President, who had during his presidential campaigns, promised Nigerians that he would remove subsidy on petroleum products, made good his words by announcing suspension on them, adding that the era of payments on fuel was gone, as the 2023 Budget made no provision for fuel subsidy “and more so, subsidy payment is no longer justifiable.”

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