Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, has responded sharply to comments made by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, accusing the governor of disrespect and misinformation.Speaking at an emergency National Executive Committee meeting at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Abure addressed Otti’s earlier appearance on Arise Television, where the governor claimed he and others had “taken back” control of the Labour Party from Abure and mocked his continued assertion of leadership, even using the word “masturbating” to describe it.
Otti had stated:
“The party that brought me to power is Labour. Okay. Today we have fought and retrieved the Labour Party. When you read the Supreme Court judgment, you’ll know that Abure is just masturbating.”
In response, Abure said Otti owed his current position to the party’s leadership, stressing the sacrifices made to ensure his election.
“Without sounding immodest, we made Governor Alex Otti. We rejected bribes and offers to support him. Yet he goes on national television to misinform the public about a Supreme Court judgment,” Abure said.
He criticized Otti’s choice of language and accused him of lacking both humility and understanding.
“Alex Otti is not only dwarfy in appearance — he is dwarfy in knowledge. His foul language is unbecoming of someone who claims to be a leader,” Abure added.
Clarifying the Supreme Court judgment referenced by Otti, Abure said it reinforced that party leadership is an internal matter governed by the party’s constitution.
“Even a layman knows that when the court says leadership is a domestic affair, it means our constitution takes precedence. It’s embarrassing to see a sitting governor parade a court ruling to INEC like a trophy,” he said.
Abure concluded by stating that Otti no longer reflects the values the Labour Party stands for.
“In 2023, we told Nigerians that the Labour Party would produce leaders who are different. What we are seeing today is disappointing.”
problem everywhere