“Stop Deceiving Nigerians, Join Peter Obi in ADC Coalition” – Labour Party Faction Tells Gov. Otti

A faction of the Labour Party led by Julius Abure has called on Abia State Governor Alex Otti to end what it described as his “deception” and publicly align with Peter Obi and other political actors in the coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja and signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the group accused Otti of playing double roles, insisting that he is no longer loyal to the Labour Party.

The faction claimed that Otti’s political allies, including Nenadi Usman, who chairs what it termed an “illegal caretaker committee,” have already formally joined the ADC. “We are not going to fall for his deception again,” the statement read. Abure questioned Otti’s commitment to the party, citing his administration’s conduct of local government elections in Abia using the Zenith Labour Party’s platform, rather than the Labour Party.

Abure also alleged that Otti was instrumental in the formation and funding of the caretaker committee, which he said has now fully embraced the ADC. He referenced the unveiling of the opposition coalition earlier in the week, describing it as the “icing on the cake,” and said all members of the caretaker committee officially joined the new movement.

The faction reiterated that Otti had already been suspended indefinitely from the party for anti-party activities and should stop misleading the public. It urged him to “move on,” stating that his actions run counter to the party’s vision and principles.

Reaffirming its position, the Abure-led leadership emphasized that the Labour Party is not part of any coalition and would not associate with what it described as ideologically incoherent alliances. “Coalitions of political parties in Nigeria are nothing but marriages of strange bedfellows focused solely on grabbing power,” the statement said. “We are in a hurry to sanitise the party of people without character.”

The faction concluded by stating that the Labour Party is preparing to rebrand itself ahead of 2027, aiming to attract young Nigerians with genuine interest in the country’s future, and will not tolerate opportunistic politicians.