Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has disclosed that the Labour Party (LP) will soon set up a reconciliation committee to engage and reconcile aggrieved members following the recent court judgment that recognised the Senator Nenadi Usman-led faction as the authentic leadership of the party.
Otti also said that despite the exit of some prominent members, including former presidential candidate Peter Obi, the LP remains a force in Nigeria's political space.
The governor made the remarks on Saturday night at a meeting of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja.
He acknowledged that the party had lost some members, including Obi, a number of lawmakers and some NWC members, but insisted that the LP remained strong and resilient.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
According to him, while the party regretted Obi's decision to leave, steps were already being taken to strengthen its internal structures and reposition it for future political contests.
"We regret the exit of our former leader and presidential candidate. While we regret it, we are working to resolve the problems in the party so that everyone can come together and make the party stronger," Otti said.
"In my opinion, the party should come together and emerge as a stronger force. We have also lost a few members to defection, especially some National Assembly members and interim national committee members, but despite that, we are still a very strong force."
Speaking further on the internal wrangling within the party, the governor told journalists that the leadership had resolved to establish a reconciliation committee to reach out to aggrieved members and encourage them to return to the fold.
He said the move followed consultations within the NWC on the appropriate framework for constituting such a committee.
"We need to set up a reconciliation committee. The National Working Committee has advised us on how to go about setting up the committee. The idea is to reconcile everyone who is willing and desires to come back to the party," he said.
Otti also appealed directly to the Julius Abure-led group to embrace dialogue and return to the party, stressing that reconciliation remained the preferred option for resolving the crisis.
"I call on Julius Abure and his team to sheathe their swords and come back to the party. Once they are willing to abide by the rules, we will be happy to receive them," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
