The Labour Party (LP) national leader and Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti. has moved to reassert control and unity within the party, declaring that the sacked factional National Chairman, Julius Abure, and his supporters could only return if they submit to the authority of the Nenadi Usman-led Interim National Working Committee (NWC).
The Federal High Court, on January 21 in Abuja, sacked Abure as the National Chairman of the party.
Subsequently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed all the names of the Abure-led executives and replaced them with Usman’s faction, as ordered by the court, after months of legal tussle.
Speaking in Abuja at the weekend, Otti said: “The era of parallel leadership in the LP is over, and reconciliation will only happen on the party’s terms.
“Once they are willing to abide by the rules of the party, we would be happy to receive them.” He called on Abure and his camp to sheath their swords and return.
The governor spoke after a meeting of the expanded National Working Committee (NWC) held at the Abia State Governor’s Lodge, attended by leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and members of the party’s Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, Otti says that LP has formally notified INEC of plans to conduct its congresses and a national convention as part of efforts to reposition the party and strengthen internal cohesion.
The Abia State governor disclosed this during a press briefing on Saturday, while addressing issues arising from recent engagements and resolutions by party stakeholders, noting that preparatory activities are already underway ahead of the congresses scheduled for March.
According to him, the party has also commenced arrangements for the revalidation of existing members and the registration of new ones, describing the exercise as a necessary step before the congresses and national convention.
Otti also expressed regret over the exit of the party’s former leader and presidential candidate, Peter Obi, while wishing him well in his future endeavours.
However, a former Senate President and now Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has urged Otti to consider returning to the PDP, expressing pessimism over the governor’s ability to secure the LP gubernatorial ticket to contest for a second term.