The crisis rocking the Labour Party has worsened in Lagos State with the emergence of a factional leader, Olumide Adesoyin.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Adesoyin-led faction disowned the Mrs Dayo Ekong-led Executive Committee, which led the party into the 2023 general elections in the state.
According to Adesoyin, a competent court has warned the general public to desist from dealing with the Ekong-led faction, following the sacking of the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the party.
“It is in the public knowledge that Abure was suspended by members of his ward in Edo State in April 2023; the reason Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa was called upon to take over the leadership, being the next in line, to rescue the party.
“It would be recalled quickly that the embattled Abure appealed his suspension at the Appeal Court but lost and the case is now listed in the Supreme Court, awaiting proceedings and judgment,” Adesoyin said.
Adesoyin claimed that the tenure of his exco had since been renewed by the party’s national body.
He complained that notwithstanding the party’s laid down rules, the Ekong-led exco had been “going about, parading themselves as the state executives of the party in a manner that is rather alien to our party’s constitution.”
But in a swift reaction, the Ekong-led State Working Committee described the Adesoyin group as impostors, “who interpret court orders to suit their selfish interest.”
Ekong, in a statement, urged the general public to disregard Adesoyin’s claim, saying the party’s constitution did not recognise his faction.
Ekong said, “For the sake of clarity, Mr Apapa and his cohorts are suspended members of a National Working Committee of the party. They were suspended via a resolution made at the NEC meeting of the party held at Asaba, Delta State on April 18, 2023.
“A certified true copy of the report of the said NEC meeting is available for anyone to inspect and verify.
“In view of the above, Mr Lamidi Apapa and his co-travellers do not have any power or locus to carry out any function as officers of a party both at national and state level.’’
According to her, the order implies that the Apapa group cannot do anything whatsoever in the capacity of the officers of the party until the matter is disposed of.
