Labour Party Faction Backs Tinubu’s Swearing In, Says It Won’t Affect Ongoing Petition At Tribunal

The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has stated that the swearing in of “President-Elect” Bola Tinubu may not have any impact on the ongoing legal tussle on the presidential election involving their party, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

 

 

The faction, which distanced itself from the calls for an interim government and the agitations that Tinubu should not be sworn in on May 29, pending the determination of the petitions before the presidential election tribunal, made this known in a statement signed on Wednesday by the faction’s spokesman, Abayomi Arabambi,
Abayomi Arabambi explained that the Electoral Act and the Constitution of Nigeria did not give room for a vacuum, noting whether the President-elect was sworn in or not, there was right to remove him legally if it was found out that he was not duly elected.

 

The spokesman who cited sections 136 and 146 of the constitution, Arabambi said only death and permanent incapacity can stop a President-elect from being sworn in, recalled how the court removed Chris Ngige and confirmed Peter Obi as the governor of Anambra in 2003.

 

The LP factional spokesman stressed that, “What Peter Obi is crying for is not supported by the law.” While he maintained that a refusal to swear in Tinubu as President would create a vacuum in the system, saying the law abhorred this.

“The law does not provide for interim president in this circumstance, even Peter Obi once benefitted from the system of being sworn into office despite pending petitions filed against him before the tribunal by Andy Uba.

 

“The Law has to be complied with, which is to swear in Tinubu as president, and if anybody wants to change the narrative, they will have to change the law.
“Labour Party warns all those clandestinely parading themselves as LP members and other Obidients who may be agitating that the “President-elect” should not be sworn in to have a rethink as Labour Party will not support any unlawful means of agitations or change of government violently.

“The LP would continue to pursue its case in court,” Arabambi stated.