Abure and his loyalists plan to skip Alex Otti’s scheduled stakeholders’ meeting, signaling deepening rifts within the group. Discover the implications of their decision

Fresh indications suggest that Julius Abure, the National Chairman of Labour Party, his loyalists and members of the National Working Committee will not attend today’s stakeholders’ meeting called by Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State.

A few days after the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, supported Otti to organize the meeting, a boycott was scheduled.

Our reporter was exclusively informed by a source within Abure’s camp who requested anonymity since they were not authorized to speak with journalists, that none of the NWC members would attend.

“We will not be present. Were you absent from the previous week’s briefing, during which the national chairman made a discreet caution to both the governor and other party members against interfering with party affairs? His words were sincere on that occasion.”

“We’ve been instructed to refrain from discussing or addressing any further inquiries on the matter. Otti’s action of convening a gathering of party leaders and stakeholders without Abure’s consent is unacceptable. Is such conduct common in other political parties, be it APC, PDP or NNPP?” he questioned.

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Attempts to confirm the statement made by Obiora Ifoh, LP National Publicity Secretary, and NWC members faced an obstacle.

At the moment of submitting this report, there was no response from Umar Farouk (National Secretary) and Kennedy Ahanotu (LP National Youth Leader).

Nonetheless, a different NWC member contacted our reporter via a brief text message and confirmed that they will not be attending the meeting.

Abure denied Otti’s request for a National Executive Committee meeting and advised him to focus on governance rather than meddling in party affairs.

The cause of the LP national chairman’s fury was a meeting held with Otti, during which the Abia governor stated plans to hold a NEC meeting on August 31st. The intended purpose would be to nullify executives at every level – ward, local government, state and national levels- alleging that their tenures had elapsed.

Abure protested by kicking and arguing that it was not within the governor’s jurisdiction to contemplate making such a choice.

Despite the threat, the governor remained resolute and decided to rename the NEC as a “Stakeholders” meeting. He was firm on holding it at Government House in Umuahia, Abia State on September 4th.

Dodoh Okafor, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Alex Otti on Public Communication, revealed this information in a circular.

Obi, his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed, members of the National Working Committee led by Julius Aburi, the deputy governor of Abia State and various serving and former Senators who belong to the party are all anticipated to be present at the gathering.

Additional members consist of past and present representatives in the House, state Assembly participants, as well as five individuals from Abure’s National Working Committee: namely the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Woman Leader and Youth Leader. Additionally included are candidates running for Governorship positions in Edo and Ondo states.