Peter Obi’s supporters mob LP factional chairman, Lamidi Apapa in court 

Lamidi Apapa, factional chairman of the Labour Party (LP), was taken into protective custody on Wednesday after he was mobbed by party supporters in court.

Upon his arrival at the presidential election petition court, Apapa confronted Akin Osuntokun, director-general of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign council, over the sitting arrangement.

The situation was brought under control after the intervention of Josephine Ekperobe, secretary of the presidential election petition court.

However, things became heated again after the court adjourned the proceedings to a later date.

The factional chairman had moved to address journalists when he was attacked.

Chants of “ole”, which translates as “thief” in Yoruba, rend the air as Apapa was dragged and pushed out of the court. At some point, someone in the crowd removed his cap and fled.

Shielded by police officers, Apapa struggled to get to his car but the crowd kept trailing him.

Police officers within the premises eventually had to take him away for his safety.

Speaking on the development, the embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party, Lamidi Apapa, said the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and the party’s suspended National Chairman, Julius Abure allegedly sponsored thugs against him (Apapa) at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, spoke on behalf of the chairman in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. 

The chairman expressed amazement at how Obi, Abure, and their supporters meant to attack them.

He said: “They attacked some police. They were fighting with press men. It was the security operatives that saved us. They came there to kill today (Wednesday) and we will definitely petition the police.”

When asked to provide evidence, Arabambi said, “We have the video now, the man that removed the cap of Apapa we know him. We know them. We know all of them. 

“We were together in the court when they started attacking us. Are they not Obidients, are they not shouting Obidients, shouting: Thief Thief on us!”

“It shows that character of who that man is. He can not even govern a local government,” he added.

The spokesperson of the Labour Party, has, however, insisted that they will petition the Inspector General of Police over the incident.