I Would Have Died In Court, Lamidi Apapa Says After Drama At Tribunal

Following the incident at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where he was surrounded by a mob, Mr Lamidi Apapa, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life.

Apapa, speaking to reporters after being released from protective custody, stated that his purpose at the court was to assert his position as the Acting National Chairman of the party and to gather information regarding the petition filed by the party’s candidate, Mr Peter Obi, contesting the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

Prior to the commencement of proceedings, Apapa sensed trouble when Mr. Akin Osuntokun, the Director-General of Obi’s campaign organization, refused to vacate a chair that had been reserved for the party’s chairman.

“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.”

On how he was mobbed, Apapa, said: “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 alleged that Obi was aware of the potential attack, revealing that during a meeting on Tuesday aimed at reconciling the feuding factions, members of the party’s presidential campaign group had threatened to harm him if he appeared in court.

“They threatened that if I appear in court that something would happen”, the embattled LP factional chairman added, saying there was no truth in the allegation that he collected N500million to scuttle Obi’s petition against the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

In response to Obi’s claim of not knowing him, Apapa criticized Obi as a “liar” and pointed out that he had actively participated in all of the party’s pre-presidential election campaigns. He further mentioned that there was an instance where they both flew back to Abuja together on the same aircraft.

“I want to tell the whole world that he is a liar. I have been in the party for over 21 years while he is not even up to one year in the party.

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

Emphasizing his greater contributions to the party compared to Obi, Apapa dismissed the claim that he was in court to withdraw the petition against Tinubu as untrue.

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

Apapa accused Obi of disregarding the court order that suspended the Julius Abure-led party executives. Regarding the incident where angry youths removed his cap at the court premises, he commented on the matter by stating: “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.