Julius Abure, National Chairman of the Labour Party, reacted on Friday to Abia State Governor Alex Otti, claiming that his leadership had a role in raising Otti to the position he now holds.
Abure made the statements during an emergency meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee held at the Labour Party secretariat in Abuja.
His statements were in response to Otti’s appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show earlier that day, during which the governor said they had regained control of the party from Abure, whom he accused of “masturbating” over assertions that he was still in command.
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 judgement, and when you finish reading it, you will know that Abure is just masturbating.”
Responding, Abure stated that Otti is who he is today because of the Labour Party leadership.
He said, “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, and 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 judgement.
“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.”
According to Abure, the Supreme Court’s decision plainly stated that party leadership issues are internal and fall under the authority of the party constitution.
Abure, referring to Otti as a “jester”, was mortified to see the governor join other party renegades in submitting the court verdict to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “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.
“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?” he asked.
