LP crisis: Otti to hold planned stakeholders meeting despite NWC warning

The last may not have been heard about the Labour Party’s crises as Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced a stakeholders’ meeting despite being warned after the National Working Committee (NWC) emergency meeting held on Tuesday that he should desist from interfering in the party’s affairs.

The stakeholders’ meeting being convened by the governor may be a decisive moment for the party to correct many anomalies from the tenure of NWC members, which the proponents of the stakeholders’ meeting have said have expired, including allegations of corruption.

The stakeholders’ meeting is scheduled for September 4 at the Government House in Umuahia, Abia State.

The proposed meeting will have Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed, and members of the NWC in attendance.

The circular partly read, “Three representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress who are members of the National Executive Council of the Party, three representatives of the Trade Union Congress who are members of the National Executive Council of the Labour Party, and the Vice Presidential candidate of the 2023 election will be in attendance.

“Also invited are the Abia deputy governor, all serving and former Senators who are members of the party, all serving and former members of the House of Representatives, serving members of Houses of Assembly of States, five members of the Abure-led National Working Committee viz: National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman, Secretary, Woman Leader, and Youth Leader, and Gubernatorial candidates of Edo and Ondo states.

“The following former governorship candidates representing the six geopolitical zones will attend: Ken Pela (Delta State – South West), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos State – South-South), Chijioke Edeoga (Enugu State – South East), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna State – North West), Patrick Dakum (Plateau State – North Central), and Keftin Amuga (Gombe State – North East).”

However, it remains unclear whether Abure and NWC members will attend, given their public spat with Otti.

Recall that Otti, since last week after he announced the plans to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to dissolve party executives at various levels, citing expired tenures, has been at daggers drawn with the Abure leadership.

Abure had responded to the issues, warning Otti to focus on governance and refrain from meddling in party affairs.