Otti Shuns Abure, Summons LP Stakeholders Meeting In Umuahia

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Despite protestations by the Barrister Julius Abure-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Labour Party, LP , Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has gone ahead to summon a stakeholders meeting.

Otti, who is the only Governor elected on the platform of the LP, during the 2023 General Elections, had earlier signaled his intention to call for the meeting to calm frayed nerves.

The Party that took the political atmosphere by storm during the General Elections due to the presence of Peter Obi, its Presidential Candidate, has been swimming in troubled waters since after its controversial National Convention in Nnewi early in the year.

The Convention itself was preceded by a plethora of dissenting voices who complained about being sidelined in the run up to the event .

But despite strident opposition, including from Obi himself, National Assembly caucus of the party, and other major stakeholders, Abure still went ahead to hold the event where he was  returned to office as the National Chairman.

However, events afterwards ,have proven the decision of Abure to go ahead with the convention a huge political miscalculation .

Post Nnewi convention, most of the known voices that kicked against the event have continued to shun all activities relating to the party.

The development has deepened the disagreements within the party, and even threatening its continued survival as a potentially viable political platform for future elections.

It is against this fast depreciating value of the party in the face of the  continued crisis of confidence and legitimacy deficits of the Abure-led NWC that goaded Governor to wade in .

But on Tuesday, August 27 ,2024 the Abure-led NWC flatly rejected Governor Otti’s trouble shooting efforts, and insisted instead on the legitimacy and constitutionality of the Nnewi Convention that brought them to the saddle.

However, in a circular issued on Wednesday August 28, 2024, the Abia State Governor announced September 4, 2024 as the scheduled date for the reconciliatory stakeholders meeting.

According to the circular, Obi ,his running mate in the last Presidential Election, Datti Ahmed ,the National Assembly caucus ,and other major stakeholders will be in attendance at the meeting which will hold at Abia State Government House Umuahia.

“Three representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, who are members of the National Executive Council of the party ,three Representatives of the Trade Union Congress TUC who are members of the National Executive Council of Labour Party, Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections will be attending.

“Also invited are Abia state Deputy Governor, all serving and former Senators who are members of the party, all serving and former members of the House of Representatives serving members of the House of Assembly of States, five members of the Abure-led National Working Committee-  National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman, National Secretary, Woman Leader, and Youth Leader, Gubernatorial Candidates of Edo and Ondo States.

“The following former governorship candidates representing the six geo-political zones will attend – Ken Pela Delta state ,Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour Lagos state ,Chijioke Edoga Enugu state ,Jonathan Asake Kaduna state , Patrick Dakum Plateau state and Keftin Amuga Gombe state” part of the circular reads .

Abure has promised a strong disciplinary action against Otti if he (Otti) does not back out.