Alex Otti, governor of Abia, says Julius Abure, factional chairman of the Labour Party (LP), is well aware that his reign is over.
The LP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with Abure and his allies on one hand, and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman on the other.
The Usman committee is supported by Peter Obi, the party’s ex-presidential candidate, and Otti.
Last month, the supreme court ruled that the court of appeal lacked the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure chairman of the LP.
Since the verdict, there have been various interpretations of the apex court’s pronouncement, with all factions claiming victory.
Lamidi Apapa has also laid claim to the chairmanship of the party.
Speaking on ‘The Morning Show’, a programme on ARISE TV, the Abia governor reiterated that he would not leave the LP despite the recent wave of defections from the opposition.
Otti said his party is not facing a leadership threat, adding that the apex court judgment removed Abure as national chairman and stripped him of authority over the party’s affairs.
He also said democracy does not require everyone to belong to the ruling party, referencing 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.”
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,” he added.
“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.”
Otti said the LP is now under a new national caretaker committee which will oversee fresh congresses from the ward level to the national convention before the end of the year.
In recent weeks, major opposition parties have lost several members to the ruling APC, with more governors and key party members reportedly planning to defect.
