The Lamidi Apapa-led national leadership of the Labour Party (LP), on Saturday, inaugurated a 24-man new State Executive Committee of the party in Lagos State.
The factional EXCO that was inaugurated is led by Olumide Adesoyin, a suspended member of the party.
Other members of the EXCO include Omotayo Anjorin (Deputy Chairman), Olanrewaju Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman), Kayode Yusuf (Deputy Chairman), Felix Odusanya (Deputy Chairman), Peter Olusegun (Deputy Chairman), Nnaemeka Anajemba (Secretary) and Richard Oliseyenum (Assistant Secretary).
Others are: Azubike Peters (Treasurer), Akinrele Abioye (Financial Secretary), Kunle Okunola (Organising Secretary), Ademola Hassan (Auditor), Abass Ibrahim (Legal Adviser), Dupe Awe (Woman Leader), Elliot Ebije (Youth Leader), Samard Okofuwa (Publicity Secretary), among others.
Among members of the factional National Working Committee (NWC) of the party present at the event were Apapa; the National Secretary, Alhaji Salrh Lawan; the National Publicity Sectary, Abayomi Arabambi; the National vice Chairman South West, Sina Aroyeun; and National leader of the party, Moshood Salvador.
Adesoyin had two weeks ago announced a new state EXCO, disowning the Dayo Ekong-led EXCO.
Ekong-led EXCO was appointed into office by Julius Abure-led NWC of the party. Adesoyin had said that the Ekong-led EXCO had lost its legality following the sacking of the Abure-led NWC.
But reacting to the inauguration, Ekong while speaking with THE WHISTLER, reiterated that Apapa is not the authentic national chairman of LP.
She described Apapa and Adesoyin as jokers who are looking for recognition, adding that she is not worried about them.
“Lamidi Apapa is not the authentic (national leader). These are just bunch of jokers looking for acknowledgement or recognition. They’re attention seekers. So, I’m not going to lose my time on them,” Ekong said.
It would be recalled that the state Secretary of the party, Sam Emeka Okpala, had early this month, disowned Adesoyin-led EXCO, calling him “a joker”.
Speaking with THE WHISTLER, Okpala had said that LP in the state does not have factional leadership, adding that the party does not recognize Adesoyin’s EXCO.
“There’s nothing like Olumide’s Executive Committee. We don’t know anything about that. We don’t have a faction in the Labour Party. So anybody parading himself as whatever is doing so at his own risk. We don’t recognize anybody; there’s no emergence of any EXCO Committee by anybody. The only leadership of the Labour Party in Lagos State is that led by Dayo Ekong, of which I’m the Secretary,” he had said.
“INEC is the only body statutorily constituted to regulate the activities of political parties in Nigeria. And it’s only them that would confirm who the leadership of the party is; nationally and at state level. So anybody parading himself as anything is just a mere joker.”
In April, Adesoyin, the immediate past chairman of LP in the state, Kayode Salako and five others, were suspended indefinitely for anti-party activities in the 2023 general elections.
Others are Moshood Salvador (LP Senatorial Candidate, Lagos West), Mutiu Okunola (House of Rep candidate for Ikeja Federal Constituency), Theodore Ezeunara and Opeyemi Taiwo.
LP has been thrown into a leadership crisis following an interim order issued by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in April, restraining Abure from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit brought against him and three others.
Justice Hamza Muazu gave the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application brought by some aggrieved members of the party.
Subsequently, Apapa (then National Vice Chairman) on April 6, declared himself as the National Chairman of the party.