Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has urged members of the Labour Party (LP) to embrace unity and put the party’s interests first, amid the ongoing leadership crisis.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, Governor Otti, the party’s only serving governor, stressed the need to respect the Supreme Court’s judgment, which recognised Senator Usman Nenadi as the party’s National Chairman.
He noted that the meeting was convened to act in line with the court’s ruling and to begin a structured process to stabilise the party. “As law-abiding citizens, we believe it is our duty to comply with the Supreme Court judgment,” he said. “We are here to formalise structures, including setting up the interim National Working Committee, which will manage party affairs until the national convention is held.”
Otti advised the Julius Abure-led faction to respect the court’s decision and step aside gracefully. He also commended the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for founding the party, while acknowledging that the LP has now grown beyond its origins. “We must humble ourselves and realise that no individual is greater than the party,” he added.
In his remarks, NLC President Joe Ajaero reiterated that the LP remains a party for ordinary Nigerians and should not be weakened by internal disputes. “Anyone who claims to be chairman of this party without the backing of the Labour movement is merely daydreaming,” he warned. “When the day of reckoning comes, we will disown such persons.”
Ajaero reassured party members of the NLC’s unwavering support. “We haven’t abandoned the party. What we need now is focus and restructuring. Rebranding is essential if the Labour Party is to thrive,” he said.
The Labour Party has been caught in a bitter leadership dispute between Abure’s faction and the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi. The latter group is backed by key figures such as Governor Otti and Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
In April, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to declare Abure the National Chairman, stating that party leadership matters are internal issues beyond the purview of the judiciary. The court also confirmed that Abure’s tenure had expired and upheld Senator Nenadi’s appeal as valid, while dismissing Abure’s cross-appeal as lacking merit.