ABUJA: There are growing concerns within the ranks of the opposition Labour Party (LP) following speculations of an impending mass defection of some of its high-profile members, including the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that while some of the members are waiting for a final pronouncement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the Supreme Court verdict on the leadership tussle, before making their move.

A top-ranking party official familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, confided in this paper that Governor Otti was discussing “personal terms” with the APC.

The source said, “The governor is yet to move because his conditions have not yet been met.

“He wants the APC leadership to grant him and all members of his State House of Assembly as well as the National Assembly to be given a right of first refusal with respect to the 2027 tickets.

“The party is asking him to join in his own capacity, promising to make that concession, arguing that extending the same courtesies to his lawmakers had the potential of throwing the party into turmoil. One thing I know for sure is that negotiations have reached an advanced stage.”

Governor Otti and the LP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi have since dissociated themselves from the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC).

They have instead thrown their weight behind the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee which they were both instrumental to setting up.

Recall also that Otti admitted supporting his supporters in Abia State to jump ship and join “a political party of their choice” for the Local Council elections, with many of them joining the Zenith Labour Party and winning 15 out of 17 seat,s with YPP winning the remaining 2 in November 2024,
LG polls.

Otti, said at the time, “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 who would deliver the goods.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/tension-grips-labour-party-as-high-profile-defections-loom/