Thursday May 8, 2025 |
Abia State Governor Alex Otti last night reacted to his suspension from the Labour Party (LP) by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC).
The Abure-led party yesterday announced the suspension of Dr. Otti, Senator Ireti Kingibe; Senator Darlington Nwokocha; House of Representatives members Victor Afam Ogene; Amobi Ogah and Seyi Sowunmi.
Their suspension was announced by the National Secretary of the Abure-led NWC, Umar Farouk Ibrahim.
But in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor described the purported suspension by Abure, who he described as the party’s former national chairman as a ruse.
The statement titled: “Alleged suspension of Governor Alex Otti: Abure is a clown in desperate search of a crown” reads: “The attention of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has been drawn to the news of his purported suspension alongside other eminent leaders of the Labour Party from the party by the former National Chairman, Julius Abure.
“The statement by Abure and his gang of comedians is not only a joke taken too far, but an affront on democracy by a group of inconsequential irritants who are desperate to use Governor Otti’s name to advance their self-serving economic agenda.
“For the records, the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has rightly and unambiguously stated that Julius Abure is no longer the National Chairman of Labour Party.
“The judgment which is in agreement with the Constitution of LP and formed the basis for the setting up of the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee stripped Abure of every authority to parade himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.
“Just few hours after being summoned by a Committee set up by the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee to come and respond to allegations of gross misconduct bordering on financial misappropriation, impersonation and anti-party activities levelled against him, Abure decided to be smart by half by rushing to the press to announce the purported suspension of Governor Otti and other eminent members of the party.
“We enjoin Nigerians to disregard Abure’s laughable statement and continue to see him and his co-conspirators as a group of clowns in desperate search of a crown they do not deserve.
“Finally, we call on the Inspector General of Police to quickly arrest Mr. Abure for impersonation, while INEC should ensure full implementation of the Supreme Court judgment as a way of preserving the integrity of the Supreme Court and protecting our democracy”.
