Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State has accused the factional National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi and the factional Legal Adviser of the party, Oyelekan Akingbade, of trying to secretly change the party’s legal representatives at the state election tribunal.
According to the party, the duo have been moving around the tribunal, to try and substitute the party’s legal representatives illegally, particularly in cases where it won elections and the All Progressives Congress (APC) is challenging its victory.
Citing petition no:EPT/LAG/HR/16/2023 in which Sanusi Olanrewaju Ismail Adedimeji and APC as petitioners are challenging LP’s victory in Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency (with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), LP and Wande George as respondents), the party alleged that Arabambi filed a motion at the tribunal through an affidavit dated June 5, 2023 seeking to change LP’s counsel.
“The attention of Labour Party Lagos State has been drawn to clandestine moves being made by the expelled former Acting Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr. Abayomi Arabambi and his ally the suspended former Legal Adviser, Mr Samuel Oyelekan Akingbade where the duo have been going around the Tribunals handling Labour Party matters, especially where we won elections and the APC is challenging the victory of our Party to change the Labour Party legal representatives illegally and fraudulently supplanting them with their APC moles as the legal counsel for the labour party.
“A clear evidence to buttress the above assertion is in the petition no:EPT/LAG/HR/16/2023 between Sanusi Olanrewaju Ismail Adedimeji and APC as petitioners (contesting Labour Party victory in Amuwo Odofin federal constituency) versus INEC, Labour Party and Wande George as respondents.
“In this matter, Mr Arabambi filed a motion at the Tribunal via an affidavit dated 5th June 2023 deposed to by himself at the Tribunal seeking to change Labour Party counsel from Tope Alabi Esquire to B. A. Ayeni Esq, who is unknown to the Party. This was done by Mr Arabambi based on the letter of engagement issued to B.A. Ayeni by Mr. Akingbade where he illegally signed as the Legal Adviser to the Party,” said the state Publicity Secretary, Olubunmi Odesanya, in a statement.
Odesanya maintained that Arabambi remains expelled from the party, while Akingbade stands suspended, adding that both cannot represent the party in any capacity.
The Publicity Secretary noted that the party is aware that Arabambi and Akingbade are working in connivance with some former members of the State Working Committee, adding that the identifies of these individuals would be made public soon.
She called on elected members and all the candidates of the party whose cases are pending in the tribunal to be watchful, and urged them to monitor proceedings.
“We want the whole world and indeed the Obident family to see how devilish and mean these characters and charlatans can descend to in a bid to satisfy their APC paymasters.
“Furthermore, it is on record that Mr. Arabambi stand expelled from the Party and as such is no longer a member of Labour Party. In like manner, Mr Akingbade stands suspended from the Party and therefore cannot and do not have any legal authority to represent the Party in any capacity whatsoever.
“We also have it on good authority that this mission by these conscienceless traitors is with the active connivance of some former members of the state working committee of the Party here in Lagos. The identities of these saboteurs within the Party will be made public soon.
“Labour Party Lagos State is by this putting all our elected members and by extension all the candidates whose cases are pending in various Tribunals to be vigilant and be watchful and be on the lookout for the activities of these enemies of Labour Party masquerading as “members” within and without.
“We also urge all candidates to monitor the proceedings in the Tribunals closely so as to be able to detect these nefarious activities of these morally debased characters on time,” Odesanya added.