Drama At Election Tribunal As LP Factional Leaders Clash Over Seats
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) was on Wednesday entertained with a circus show following the sudden appearance of factional National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa, who demanded that Mr Akin Osuntokun, the Director General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council should vacate his seat for him.
The deliberate confrontation which took place shortly before the courtroom was opened for lawyers and litigants at about 8:05 am ahead of the day’s proceedings got Osuntokun infuriated.
Before the arrival of Apapa, Osuntokun and other party bigwigs were already seated in the plaintiffs’ gallery which they have always occupied each time they were in court.
However, Apapa insisted that as the leader of the Labour Party, he was entitled to be in the plaintiffs’ gallery but, was quickly rebuffed by Osuntokun, who bluntly refused to give up his seat, insisting that Apapa had no right to take the seat.
As a way of dousing the tension, the secretary of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Josephine Ekperobe, quickly stepped in and advised that the sitting arrangement is enough to accommodate all litigants in the case.
While the drama was going on, the suspended National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, who was also present in court sat calmly and watched Apapa.
When the Tribunal resumed and the case was called, Peter Obi announced an appearance for himself while the National Woman Leader, Dudu Manuga, announced an appearance for the Labour Party but was quickly countered by Apapa.
As a result of the confusion and dual representation, the five-member panel of justices led by Haruna Tsammani refused to record any representation for the party.
