Governor Alex Otti Dismisses Suspension by Julius Abure, Labels Move a “Desperate Joke”
The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has strongly dismissed the purported announcement of his suspension from the Labour Party, describing it as “a joke taken too far” orchestrated by Julius Abure, whom he referred to as a “clown in desperate search of a crown.”
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti emphasized that Julius Abure has no legal standing to act on behalf of the Labour Party, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment which invalidated Abure’s claim to the party’s national chairmanship.
“The highest court in the land has made it clear—Abure is no longer the National Chairman of the Labour Party,” the statement reads. “His actions are not only unconstitutional but a flagrant affront to democracy.”
According to Ekeoma, the decision by Abure to announce suspensions of Governor Otti and other party leaders is a calculated attempt to distract from allegations of financial misappropriation, impersonation, and anti-party activities leveled against him. Abure was reportedly summoned just hours earlier by the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee to answer to those charges.
“This is a case of someone trying to pre-empt disciplinary actions by manufacturing a diversion,” Ekeoma said, calling Abure’s faction a “group of comedians” attempting to remain politically relevant through mischief.
Governor Otti's camp has urged Nigerians to disregard the suspension claim and has called on the Inspector General of Police to arrest Abure for impersonation. The statement also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce the Supreme Court ruling to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic processes.
“The time has come to protect the integrity of our democracy. We won’t allow a few desperate individuals to undermine the system for selfish gains,” Ekeoma concluded.
This latest development further highlights the internal crisis rocking the Labour Party, raising questions about leadership, legitimacy, and the future direction of one of Nigeria’s most-watched opposition parties.
