Abure Dismisses Rift With Obi, Otti

•By Our Reporter 

ABUJA – The National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, has dismissed reports that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and its only state governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, are working against the LP leadership.

Abure, while speaking to the media on the sideline of the first consultative meeting between the leadership of political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2025, explained the situation in the party as a “misunderstanding” that has been exaggerated, as he urged it must been seen as a family affair to be resolved amicably.

A statement on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, stated that “Abure also appreciated both the High Court and Court of Appeal for their judgements which favoured the Labour Party. He however vowed that under his watch, the party will reconcile all aggrieved members of the party and reposition the party for future elections.”

According to the statement, the LP national chairman said, “Let me first appreciate the Appeal Court for doing justice, for looking at the whole matter and resolving it in our favour which ordinarily is in line with the law of the land, the constitution of Nigeria, the electoral law and the party constitution. So we want to appreciate the Court of Appeal judges. We also want to appreciate the High Court judges who had earlier delivered judgement in favour of the leadership of the party.

“I want to say essentially, that the squabbles within the party ought to be a family affair and that is how I see it. For me, there are no hard feelings. Like I said before, all those who may have one grievance or the other against the leadership of the party, it is an opportunity for all of us to come together, reconcile our differences and chart a way forward for our party.

For me, I am open for reconciliation and the party will apply every measure to bring everybody within the party for us to discuss and chart a way forward for the party. I believe the interest of Nigeria and the interest of the party supersede every other interest. So it is my appeal for every aggrieved member of the party to come back for the interest of the party and for the interest of Nigeria.”

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On his relationship between Peter Obi and Governor Otti concerning their involvement in the crisis in the party, Barrister Abure said, “I am sure that very soon, all our differences will be put aside, and we will again speak authoritatively with one voice and come out stronger and very effective in the political space.

There is no political party without some differences, it is a game of interests and there will always be conflicting interests in every political environment. I believe we will come out better and stronger. Now we have seen our strengths, we have also seen our weaknesses and I am sure that all of these, put together, will reshape the party and make the party to be better and we will perform better in future elections.”

Earlier, the LP leader was congratulated by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for his doggedness in retaining his position in the party.

The opposition party has been at the centre of a leadership tussle which culminated in a section of the party setting up a 29-member caretaker committee with former finance minister, Senator Nenadi Usman as chairman, and Hon. Darlington Nwokocha as the secretary.

A communique detailing the terms of reference of the caretaker committee revealed that it “should immediately ensure” that the congresses of the whole party were conducted at ward, local government, state and national levels as soon as possible.

This followed controversies surrounding the reported expiration of Abure`s tenure in June 2024.

•INDEPENDENTNG.