LP Crisis: Abure Slams Otti, Says We Made You Gov

BY EDMOND ODOK – Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took another dramatic turn on Friday with the embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, calling the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, a ‘jester’.

Boasting that his leadership was instrumental in elevating Otti to the position he now enjoys, Abure further described Otti as “not only dwarfy in appearance, he is dwarfy in knowledge.”

Abure’s attack on the Abia State Chief Executive came during the National Executive Committee (NLC) emergency meeting held at the Labour Party secretariat in Abuja.

The Party Chairman was responding to Governor Otti’s appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show where he claimed they had taken back control of the party from Abure.

Accusing Abure of “masturbating” over claims that he was still in charge, Governor Otti had said; “This is a democracy, and sometimes you must stand for something. I can’t say I wouldn’t leave the Labour Party; what if the party is non-existent tomorrow?

“The party that brought me to power is Labour. Okay. Today we have fought and retrieved the Labour Party. I will send you the Supreme Court judgment, and when you finish reading it, you will know that Abure is just masturbating.”

However, in his reaction, Abure maintained that the Abia Governor got to where he is today because of the Labour Party leadership, saying; “It is only appropriate at this point to respond to him so he doesn’t think he is the only one who can speak.

“As mature leaders of this party who believe in the development of this country, we made them. Without sounding immodest, we made Governor Alex Otti. We supported him, made sacrifices, rejected bribes and offers, just so he could become the governor he is today. Yet today, he goes on national television to misinform the public about the Supreme Court judgment.

“My major concern was his foul language, saying he was laughing at us for holding on to the Party leadership and ‘masturbating’ over it.

“Dwarfy and Lilliputian men were once considered men of great ideas. But Alex Otti is not only dwarfy in appearance, he is dwarfy in knowledge.”

Abure said the Supreme Court’s ruling clearly stated that Party leadership matters are internal and fall under the purview of the party’s constitution.

He called Governor Otti a “jester”, claiming that he was embarrassed to see the governor join other party renegades in submitting the court ruling to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Abure; “It is clear. When the Supreme Court says leadership is a domestic affair of the party, what does it mean? Even a layman knows that the party’s constitution is supreme. For him to go on national TV today, after parading himself like a cricket to INEC, is disgraceful.

“See how a whole governor reduced himself to carrying the Supreme Court CTC, thinking he could intimidate and harass INEC. But we know INEC is a civilised institution guided by law and procedure.”

Further berating the Abia governor for his remarks and actions so far; Abure said; “I want to state clearly that Otti does not represent the values of our party.

“We told Nigerians in 2023 that the Labour Party would produce leaders who are different. We said a new Nigeria is possible. But today, what are we seeing?”