We’ve Created Suitable Condition for Peace to Be Restored in LP, Says Otti

* Dismisses threats of sanction by Abure group

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said that conducive environment has now been created for peace to be restored in the Labour Party (LP), following the successful convening of the NEC/expanded stakeholders meeting last Wednesday.

He expressed this optimism weekend while fielding questions at the September edition of his monthly media interaction in Umuahia, noting that: “A wide majority of our people (LP members) supported the outcome of the meeting.

“Peace can be restored in the party. That was the reason for the meeting we held here.”

The party stakeholders had, at the meeting, dissolved the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) and replaced it with a 29-member Caretaker Committee headed by Senator Nenadi Usman.

The Abure group has already kicked against the formation of the Caretaker Committee on the gound that the LP constitution has no provision for it.

But Otti, who is the only Labour Party governor, insisted that “what we did was the right decision” given that the term of the Abure-led NWC had elapsed since June 10, 2024.

He siad: “Anyone that followed what happened would notice that people are happy over the outcome of the meeting.

“I believe that what we did was in the interest of the party. We have a vested interest in ensuring that the party will continue to operate as a political party in Nigeria.”

He scoffed at the allusion that he and the national leader of LP, Mr. Peter Obi, could be among those targeted for sanctions by the Abure-led dissenters.

“I don’t think we should lose sleep over the people saying they will set up disciplinary committee. We are ready for them,” Otti said.

The LP Caretaker Committee was given the mandate to organise party congresses at the ward, local government and state levels culminating in the national convention where a new set of NWC would be elected.

Though Senator Usman, who is now the acting National Chairman of LP, acknowledged that the task ahead of her team was tough, she assured the stakeholders that they would achieve the goal.

In forming the membership of the committee, the stakeholders ensured that it was all inclusive by including “various interests and tendencies” in the party such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Also represented in the Caretaker Committee are the LP caucuses in the Senate and House of Representatives, state Assemblies, as well as the governorship candidates of the party in the 2023 general election.