10th NASS: Otti meets LP Senators-elect, Reps-elect on choice of Candidates
…….We will take decision on Friday – Abure
Abia Governor, Dr Alex Otti, Thursday, met with the national assembly members-elect on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) to take a decision on which candidates to support for the incoming leadership.
In his brief opening remarks, Otti said he came for a meeting with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and later decided to interact with them as one family.
He enjoined the members-elect to work for the people who elected them and ensure that the dividends of democracy were delivered to them.
Briefing the governor on a series of meetings so far held to decide who to support amongst the array of candidates jostling for the senate presidency and House of Representatives speakership and their respective deputies, the national chairman of Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure who led the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) said they will take a decision on the choice of candidates by Friday or Saturday.
“We have been having these engagements for quite some time. So, immediately we were elected, we decided to have constant meetings so that we can put ourselves together because we believe that if we have this unity and vote together as a family, it will help us do better as a party.
“It will even help us members-elect to operate better and so, we have consistently held this meeting. We have four or five of this meeting, our own presidential candidate (Mr Peter Obi) has been involved in this meeting. You will recall that I have also had the privilege of informing you about the meeting but for tight schedule, you have not been able to join us.
“I recall the last one. I requested you should be available because of the critical decision that we are about to make.
“Where we are right now is that, the National Assembly is at the verge of being inaugurated and leadership is expected to emerge both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
“It will appear as if some of our members are divided along some political lines and so, we have had series of this engagement.
“The last one was on Monday where we resolved unanimously that we are going to make the decision on Friday which is tomorrow or Saturday.
“So, as one of the great leaders of the party, we are grateful that you brought us together this evening considering background and circumstances of the party, looking at the mood of the nation which led to the Obidient movement that eventually culminated into the election of all our members, we must be very conscious of our behaviours, we must be conscious of what we do.
“Expectations from the people are very high, people see us those elected on this platform as those that will save the country and save them and therefore, the exceptions are high.
“Therefore, we must watch our behaviour and our actions. Whether we are going to enjoy the support that we enjoyed from the people, depend on the way we conduct ourselves especially our behaviour in the National Assembly.
“Wether we like it or not, those elected today will become the mirror through which the party will be assessed. They have become the apple and the eyes of the party and therefore, that is why we should always be together, and educate ourselves, whatever action we want to take, we sit down and look at the values and overall benefit that action will have on the party collectively and on individuals and that is why we have these meetings and I am happy that you are here to deepen it”, Abure said.
The meeting later went into a closed door session.
