|
Listen to article
|
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State announced on Thursday that, despite his continued membership in the Labour Party, he has permitted his followers to support any party they prefer in the state’s local government elections, emphasizing their autonomy in making political choices.
Speaking at his monthly media briefing for November in Umuahia, Otti shared this remark with members of the press, continuing his commitment to open dialogue with journalists.
“I remain in LP, if there is the need to leave, you will be properly informed,” he said.
The court’s decision to reinstate Julius Abure as the Labour Party’s national chairman marked a rejection of the governor’s faction, affirming Abure’s leadership amid internal power struggles.
With rising internal tensions and the Peter Obi-Otti faction’s decision to disassociate from the Abure-led side, the governor stated he instructed his supporters to shift allegiance to whichever party they deemed suitable.
Though LP is the official party of the state government, it did not field any candidates in the local government election.
The Zenith Labour Party won 15 local government areas while the Young Peoples Party won in two councils, fuelling rumours that the governor had concluded plans to defect to the ZLP.
Read also: ‘We’re Starving’: 150 Retired Abia Officials To Gov Otti
Otti, speaking on Thursday, however, said “I can assure you that I am in LP.
“The crisis in LP made a lot of our supporters go elsewhere. Our people know those that would deliver the goods. As our people say, you know the child you would send out that would not disgrace you when they give him food. Even if he is hungry, he will refuse to eat.
“I believe that was what has happened in this case, right from the time I stood up to contest the election in 2015. When I left PDP to join APGA, our people followed me and I won that election then.
“APGA has not won even one councillorship before that time and then, we took almost half of the House of Assembly seats in 2015.
“So, sometimes, people recognise that political parties are empty platforms and that when you muddle up things in your political parties, you give advantage, create opportunities for your competitors and that was what happened in this last election.
“I authorised my followers to join any political party that they liked and the majority of them moved into other political parties. I remain in the Labour Party.
“Anytime I am going to leave, that is if there is any need to leave, you would be properly informed,” he said.
