The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed reports of an out-of-court settlement in the leadership crisis surrounding the party.

The party on Friday explained that contrary to the report, the matter which came up in the FCT High Court on Thursday was adjourned to 12 May, for a ruling.

It also criticized a suspended member of the National Working Committee (NWC), Lamidi Apapa, and expelled former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, for propagating “disinformation, lies and propaganda”, with a view to misleading the public.

A statement issued by the LP Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, reads thus; “The FCT High Court on Thursday sat and took the argument on preliminary objection by the counsels of the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure and others on the matters filed before it by a few expelled and suspended members of the party.

“The court thereafter adjourned for ruling on the matters for 12th of May, 2023. That was all that transpired in the court on that day.

“But in their usual penchant for disinformation, lies and propaganda, the Apapa camp went to town with a statement suggesting that the Court upheld a restraining order against Abure and some other executive members of the party.

“They also said that an out of court settlement arrangement has been agreed upon.

“The party ordinarily would have ignored these famed hustlers who have created a niche for themselves in peddling propaganda and misinformation to Nigerians hence this attempt to update the public on the true position of the matter.

“You will recall that a State High Court sitting in Benin on April 5, issued an order restraining the Labour Party and all its members including the Ward chairman and the National Working Committee of the party from any suspension or purported suspension of its national officers till the determination of motion on notice before it.

“Same day another restraining order against Abure and three orders from parading as leaders of the party, was given by Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court over a matter brought before it by the Apapa camp. It is important to note that both courts are of equal jurisdictions.

“But in spite of the restraining order from Benin High Court, Apapa and his gang have continued to violate the order by invading the national secretariat of the party, aided by thugs and security agents and thereafter allocated offices to themselves.

“Even the FCT High Court order they are claiming they had, they have also violated it because the court didn’t give them the audacity to take laws into their hand by breaking into the office and making away with vital documents from the office and awarding themselves offices without the approval of the National Executive Committee, NEC.

“To avert further disruption of the activities of the party, the NEC of the Labour Party, comprising of all the stakeholders including the 36 state chairmen and Secretaries, the NLC and TUC who are the Trustees of the party amongst others was properly convened in Asaba, Delta state on the 18th of April, 2023 where decisive measures were taken to restore normalcy to the party.

“We have continued to warn our members and Nigerians that rodents have invaded our party and that we must ensure that they do not carry out their nefarious assignments.

“It amuses us to read that they are working for an out of court settlement but we are certainly not interested in their back-hand approach to peace.

“We would rather prefer to see the end of the matter in the court because all their claims can neither be proved nor substantiated. We are comforted by the fact that truth will always prevail at last

"In conclusion, we urge Nigerians to disregard these mercantile personalities and bunch of hustlers who are very well compromised and working and will do anything for their paymasters,” it said. (Daily Independent)

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