Otti wades in to reconcile aggrieved aspirants, as LP is optimistic of taking Edo

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

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Pix shows Governor Alex Otti answering questions from newsmen after meeting with the National Working Committee of Labour, Edo State Governorship Candidate, Barr Olumide Akpata and governorship aspirants in the Edo 2024 governorship election

Abia State Governor,  Dr Alex Otti, has pledged to give every legitimate support to the Labour Party Governorship candidate in Edo State, Barr. Olumide Akpata, including reconciliations, to enable him emerge victorious in the general election proper.

Governor Otti made the pledge in Umuahia while addressing the press after a close door meeting he held with the National Working Committee (NWC) of Labour Party, the Edo State Governorship candidate of the party, as well as other governorship aspirants at the just-concluded Governorship primary elections in the heartbbeat of the nation.

The Governor said Barr. Akpata has the capacity to run in the election and added that he was fully ready for the forthcoming elections.

“We discussed the affairs of the party. You can see both the candidate and aspirants, so we sat down together, took a report of what happened, looked at all the issues so that we could have some reconciliations, ready for the election that would happen later in the year,” Otti said

“Reconciliation is very vital. People, sometimes after an election, get offended and it can always happen, So, I can assure you that there is a lot of progress that we have made today, ” the Governor added.

In an interview, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure, said that they were in Abia to discuss the outcome of their primary elections with Governor Otti and leader of the party .

“We just concluded our party primaries in Edo and the fallout of it is what you see us dealing with today under the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor of Abia State. We were able to bring most of the aspirants together with the candidate in order to have a formidable force that would go into the campaign.

“I am sure all the grey areas that the aspirants were having have been sorted out today. I’m sure that we are coming out more united, we are coming out stronger and will be able to face the challenges in Edo,”  Abure said.

He dismissed the rumour of internal crises in the party, saying: “I must make it clear that the internal crises you talked about is overblown. Apart from the issue we had with the National Treasurer, I think that we have no other internal matter. All other ones we’ve been having are external and we have dealt with it sufficiently.”

Barr. Abure commended Governor Otti for the giant strides he was recording in Abia State.

“You can see the beautiful work the Governor of Abia State is doing within the limit of the resources available to him within nine months in office, you can see the difference already showing in Abia State and this is what we talk about that leadership is about commitment, leadership is about your passion to work for the people and this is what Labour Party has to put on the table and it is for this reason that we are being vilified,we are being harassed but we will remain undaunted,” the LP National Chairman said.

Also, the Edo State Labour Party Governorship candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata, said that the aspirants were in Abia  to meet the Governor of the state and leader of LP in Nigeria.

He described the difference Governor Otti was making in Abia State as a unique selling point of the LP as a  people-centred party and the last hope of Nigeria. Akpata expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

Other dignitaries who were part of the visit imcluded the LP National Secretary,  Alhaji Farouk Umar, the National Organizing Secretary, Chief Clement Ojukwu , National Woman Leader, Madam Dudu Manuga, Abia State Labour Party Chairman, Chief Ceekey Igara, among others.