The faction of the Labour Party led by Lamidi Apapa has distanced itself from the calls for an interim government and the demands that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, should not be sworn in on May 29.
The faction, through its spokesman Abayomi Arabambi, made a statement in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, and said that the swearing-in of Tinubu would not have any effect on the ongoing legal tussle on the presidential election involving the APC, INEC and the Labour Party.
Arabambi noted that the Electoral Act and the Constitution of Nigeria did not provide for a vacuum, and that there was a legal right to remove the President-elect if it was found that he was not duly elected.
He cited the 2003 case of Anambra State where the Court removed Chris Ngige and confirmed Peter Obi as Governor, emphasizing that only death or permanent incapacity can prevent a President-elect from being sworn in, according to sections 136 and 146 of the Nigerian Constitution.
While saying that, “what Peter Obi is crying for is not supported by the law,” Arabambi pointed out that “a refusal to swear-in Tinubu as President on May 29, will create a vacuum in the system, saying the law does not allow this.
While emphasizing that Nigerian constitution did not provide for interim president under this circumstance, Arabambi said “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,” he stated.
He added “Labour Party warns all Obidiots 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.”
