The Lamidi Apapa faction of Labour Party on Friday told the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, to step down his case at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal over what they described as “lack of seriousness”.

According to the faction, the advice became necessary following the incident which happened at the Tribunal on Thursday where the court stepped down hearing in the petition filed by Obi and the LP against the election of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking on fuel subsidy removal, the LP faction knocked the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria for rejecting new pump price of petrol.

They insisted that the position of the LP on removal of fuel subsidy during the campaign has not changed, saying “we cannot reverse that position because it was not our candidate that won the presidential election.”

The factional National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Abayomi Arabambi, raised these issues during a press conference in Abuja.

He told journalists that Obi has not been able to provide any concrete evidence to back this claims since PEPT began sitting.

Arabambi alleged that Obi went to court to challenge the victory of Tinubu because he (Obi) and his co-travellers had different motives as against the wishes of the Nigerian masses who freely offered their supports to LP.

He said, “We have followed with keen interest the shameful developments and approach by the so-called legal team assembled by Peter Obi challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission and we have, like many Nigerians, come to the conclusion that Obi is not only taking Nigerians for a ride but would continue to waste the hard earned resources donated by Nigerians for this purpose to even enrich himself the more.

“All of you here who have been following this case can recall that the day we had altercation in court with (Julius) Abure’s group, that INEC announced that Peter Obi could not pay for CTC form EC08 and other documents. That now compelled them to only present 30 per cent of the materials they would need for the hearing at Election Petition Tribunal.

“How would any right thinking person go to election tribunal with only 30 per cent of documents where none of all them would be accepted or agreed to be tendered by other political parties?

“Three days ago, they said two of their counsels were sick and yesterday (Thursday), they could not even file a single process with the array of SANs with Obi. This is what we have been saying that they are just trying to hoodwink the public, deceiving the Obidients and giving them false hope that they have something at the tribunal.

“It’s evident from the attitude displayed by them when they wrote a letter to INEC that Obi could not pay N1.5 million. Who are they deceiving? Counsel were sick?

“That’s why we have consistently maintained that Obi is not serious. He came in to the party with nothing. He didn’t fund the election, he didn’t fund the party, he didn’t do anything for the party. He only came to mess of the entire process and to deceive Nigerians that he has something to offer to them.

“Labour Party is thereby calling on him to step down his selfish ambition and stop messing up the party if he has nothing serious to present to the tribunal.”

Fuel subsidy

Arabambi said, “Whatever we have agreed on during our campaign, and as a party that promote peace, equity and justice in Nigeria, then we can’t be found approbating and reprobating at the same time. Our position is that, once Obi has said he would remove fuel subsidy from his first day in office, the same organized labour who stood on that position must not be seen working in cross purpose on the same thing that Tinubu, Atiku and even Obi said they were going to do.

“Obi said subsidy was an organized crime that must be stopped. The NLC can’t call for any strike. If they do, it is obvious that they are just being mischievous for a reason best known to them or maybe they have something against the President that they should come out open to tell Nigerians. That is our position as Labour Party.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the appointment Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the Chief of Staff.

The announcement was made during a meeting with the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) in Abuja.

The news was conveyed through a statement issued by Abiodun Oladunjoye, the State House Director of Information, on Friday, June 02, 2023. The statement highlighted the President’s focus on selecting individuals with a track record of performance and dedication to service.

In addition, President Tinubu also named Senator George Akume, the immediate past Minister of Special Duties, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Furthermore, Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the outgoing speaker of the house of representatives, says those speculating his appointment as the chief of staff (COS) to President Bola Tinubu should allow the “system to work”.

There were reports on Thursday that Gbajabiamila had been named as the COS of the newly inaugurated president.

The reports claimed that the speaker was introduced as the COS at a meeting between Tinubu and security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Gbajabiamila declined to confirm the claims and said: “Let’s allow the system to work.”

“Be patient, be patient. The system works in its own way. Let’s allow the system to work,” the lawmaker added.

“We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see. Thank you very much.”

On his part, Senate President Ahmed Lawan described the report as “speculations”, but noted that the speaker has all it takes to occupy the position.

He added that Gbajabiamila would be a good fit as the COS because the position requires an individual with “very versed experience in the area of legislation”.

“I am waiting for the announcement. You are speculating. You know you are in the media. I’m not,” Lawan said.

“The speaker of the house of representatives has been rumoured to be the chief of staff designate. First of all, I pray that it comes to pass. If that happens, Mr president would have made a wise decision.

“At this moment, you need a chief of staff with very versed experience in the area of legislation, in the area of cooperating with the executive which the speaker spearheaded from the house.

“He has a very good network and the support that is required. And when that happens, you know this administration is going to be the administration of the legislators.

“You have a president who was a senator, a vice president who was a senator, and of course, our potential chief of staff designate, the speaker of the house of representatives, is somebody who has been in the National Assembly for 20 years.

“So, this administration should have no difficulty relating with the 10th national assembly because all of them have passed through the national assembly system, and they know what the sentiments and the sensibilities of members of the national assembly are.”