Hearing in the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate kick-started on a dramatic note on Wednesday at the presidential election petition court.
The drama started when the factional national chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa arrived in the courtroom and confronted the director general of Peter’s Obi presidential campaign council, Akin Osuntokun over seats.
This was after the courtroom was opened for the day’s proceedings in the morning.
Upon gaining access to the courtroom, Apapa approached Osuntokun who was already seated in the gallery with other party chieftains to vacate their seats for him.
He said as the bonafide national chairman of the party, he deserved to be seated in the plaintiff’s gallery.
But Osuntokun vehemently refused to yield his seat asserting that Apapa had no such right to take his seat.
It took the quick intervention of the Secretary of the Presidential election petition court, Josephine Ekperobe before normalcy was restored.
The drama took place in the presence of the suspended national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi who was in court.
When the case was called, Obi announced an appearance for himself.
Subsequently, Dudu Manuga, the national woman leader of the party, announced an appearance for the party but was quickly opposed by Apapa.
Following the confusion, the five-member panel of justices led by Haruna Tsammani refused to record any representation for the party.
