The factional leader of the Labour Party, Lamidi Apapa, has called for the arrest of anyone who agitates for an interim government in Nigeria, including Peter Obi, the party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party’s faction, Abayomi Arabambi, on Saturday.
Some supporters of Obi, popularly called ‘Obidients’ have been calling for the suspension of the inauguration of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president on May 29, 2023, pending the determination of the electoral petitions filed by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party to challenge Tinubu’s victory.
In the statement, Arabambi described the action of people trying to stop Tinubu’s inauguration as anti-democratic.
It said, “If anyone calls for an interim administration, including Peter Obi, they should be arrested by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba-Alkali.
“Nobody is above the law. You cannot seek to plunge Nigeria into war and also say you want to rule that country.
“We, in the Labour Party, are saying a capital ‘NO’ to such an evil call by Peter Obi that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should not be sworn in come May 29.
“Henceforth, anyone calling for the establishment of an interim administration and threatening fire and brimstone and conducting themselves in a way that is likely to cause a breach of peace should be arrested.”
Arabambi also reiterated that the leadership of the faction was not interested in withdrawing the party’s petition seeking to overturn Tinubu’s victory, adding that it would appoint new lawyers if the legal team that filed the matter failed to brief it.
“I also want to allay the fear of Nigerians, the Alhaji Lamidi Apapa-led Labour Party is not interested in withdrawing any matter from the presidential election petitions tribunal, but as the National Chairman (Apapa) confirmed, he has a right to know what is going on with the petition.
“If the Party’s legal team at the tribunal in Abuja fails to honour our ultimatum and brief us on the petition within 48 hours, we will appoint new lawyers to take over the case,” Arabambi said.