Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has refuted speculations suggesting he is preparing to leave the Labour Party (LP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The rumours emerged in the wake of what has been described as a “tsunami defection” that saw key figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, including former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, cross over to the APC. According to Okowa, the move was aimed at aligning Delta State more closely with the federal government.
However, in an interview with Arise Television, Governor Otti dismissed the idea that political alignment with the ruling party is necessary to gain proximity to the presidency.
“I am not defecting, and the Labour Party in Abia is stable,” Otti stated. “I’m even closer to the centre than some of those who have defected.”
He emphasized the importance of political consistency, citing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s own trajectory.
“President Tinubu remained with his parties—AD, AC, ACN before APC, and if he had jumped from one party to another without conviction, he might not have become President. Sometimes, one has to stand for something,” he said.
Addressing the internal leadership challenges currently facing the Labour Party, Otti acknowledged uncertainty about the party’s future but remained noncommittal on his long-term allegiance.
“I’m not God. I cannot say whether the Labour Party will exist tomorrow,” he said.
Governor Otti’s political career has seen him move from the PDP to APGA, then to the APC, before settling with the Labour Party, under which he was elected governor in 2023.
