“Despite Crisis, I Am Still A Member Of Labour Party” –  Gov Otti

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Despite the festering crisis rocking the Labour Party, LP, its only Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has affirmed his loyalty and commitment to the party.

This is just as he called on the residents of Abia State to fully participate in the November, 2, scheduled Local Government Election.

The Governor who spoke on Thursday, October, 24, 2024, at the  commissioning ceremony of the reconstructed Administrative Headquarters of Aba South Council consumed by the October 20,2022 EndSars protest inferno, reassured of his administration’s unwavering commitment towards repositioning Aba as the Commercial hub of the South East region.

While admitting the  existence of a crisis in the party that provided him with the platform to realize his aspiration of Governing Abia State, Dr Otti, however, informed that he still remain a dedicated and committed member of LP.

The Source reports that  Post-Nnewi March 2024, Convention, LP had been  plunged into a serious leadership crisis with many stakeholders distancing themselves from the Julius Abure- led National Working Committee, NWC .

The crisis of confidence began pre-Nnewi Convention, following the boycott of the exercise by many stakeholders who cited non- consultation and involvement as major reasons.

However, an attempt  by Governor Otti and others including its Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Election, Peter Obi, to solve the leadership crisis has incidentally produced some unintended consequences.

The decision of an enlarged National Executive Council/Stakeholders meeting on September 4, 2024, in Umuahia to supplant the Abure NWC with a 29-member Interim Committee, led by Senator Esther. Nenadi Usman has so far turned  out to be an albatross for the party.

The legitimacy status just conferred on the Abure leadership  by an Abuja Federal High Court has since precipitated a supremacy battle between the two leaderships.

The battle is presently taking its toll on the Abia State Chapter, with the two factions struggling over which to submit the list of party candidates to the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, for the Local Council Polls.

In an apparent  confirmation of wide spread speculations suggesting that the Governor may have settled for the Zenith Labour Party ZLP as the preferred platform for his loyalists to contest  the election, Dr Otti, on Thursday urged the people to vote only credible and committed candidates, irrespective of party affiliations.

He insisted that the people must come out in their numbers  to participate in the council election to ensure that only those who will sincerely serve their interests are voted, regardless of the party promoting them.

According to him, due to the premium placed on the forthcoming Local Government Election, his administration has extended all the necessary support to the State Electoral Body to enable it conduct free and fair polls.

While reminding the people of the potency of their votes, Governor Otti called on them to ensure the enthronement of people with the commitment to serve at the all- important grassroots level.

According to him, the timely completion of the Aba Council Administrative Headquarters despite the massive destruction wrecked on it is an eloquent testimony to the result of good leadership.

He, therefore, commended the outgoing Mayor of the Council Chief, Uche Nwogu, for his exemplary dedication, commitment, and leadership qualities.

“I must commend you for starting and finishing this project within your  short stay in office. Any one who saw the structures after the #Endsars protest, and what have been done now, will no doubt applaud the commitment of the Mayor.

“That is what good  leadership should be – service to the people. The reconstruction of these structures l will no doubt rekindle the interests of the people as well as serve to reposition Aba as choice destination for business and  commercial activities.

“On our part as an administration, we will continue to sustain our pursuit of infrastructural renewal and maintenance of peace and security as a  way of promoting the confidence of investors” Governor Otti stated.

Earlier in his address, Chief Wogu, attributed the successful completion of the reconstruction effort to prudent management of resources and sincerity of purpose.

” I want to thank the Governor for the success of this reconstruction effort. We received all the support we needed from him .

“Besides, we were guided by the good example he provided at the state level through dedication, commitment and accountability.

“What we did at this level was to copy from his exemplary attitude. We resisted the temptation of sharing money to some people for doing nothing.

“We resolved that we are not  going to give the common wealth to a few individuals. We agreed that we will use the peoples money to work for them. The result is what is on the ground today. And we are grateful to the Governor for giving us the opportunity to serve  our people.” Wogu stated.