Abure Is Making Noise, Otti Reacts On LP Leadership Tussle

 (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has stated that Julius Abure, factional chairman of the Labour Party (LP), knows that his reign is over.

It is worth recalling that the LP has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis, with Abure and his allies in one faction, and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman on the other.

The Usman committee enjoys the support of Peter Obi, the party’s ex-presidential candidate, and Otti.

Last month, the Supreme Court stated that the court of appeal does not have the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure chairman of the LP.

Since the verdict emerged, there have been various interpretations of the pronouncement of the court as all factions claimed victory.

Speaking on ‘The Morning Show’, a programme on ARISE TV, Governor Otti stated that he would not leave the LP because of the recent wave of defections from the opposition and the party is not facing a leadership threat as the apex court judgment had already removed Abure as national chairman and taken away his authority over the party’s affairs.

He also stated that democracy does not mean everyone should belong to the ruling party as he chronicled President Bola Tinubu’s journey to power.

“Governor Otti is not decamping and my party (LP) is not on shaky ground, everybody must not be in APC. This is democracy and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held on to his AD, AC, ACN before becoming APC,” he said.

“If not, he wouldn’t be president today. Sometimes you have to also stand for something.

“Let me tell you. I was in PDP. And then from PDP, I went to APGA. I went to APC. I’ve been in APC. So that’s not the issue.

“The issue is that the party that brought me to power is Labour. And today we have fought and retrieved the Labour Party.

“When you go through the supreme court judgment, you will know that Abure is just masturbating. He is out.

“You can declare yourself the president of Nigeria today. But does that make you the president?”

Asked if he was certain about remaining in LP, Otti said political decisions are determined by prevailing conditions and the will of the people.

“And I’m not God to also say that I will remain in Labour Party or leave Labour Party. But as we speak, the current conditions do not warrant my leaving the Labour Party.

“Tomorrow, anything can change. And I’ve told you, I’m very pragmatic and I look at things. And of course, if I’m going to take any decision, that decision is going to be taken in full consultation with Abia people.”

According to Otti, the LP is now under a new national caretaker committee which will take care of fresh congresses from the ward level to the national convention before the end of the year.

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