Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed rumours suggesting that he is planning to dump the Labour Party (LP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti made it clear that he remains committed to the Labour Party — the platform that brought him to power — and has no plans to abandon it. According to him, Gov Otti remains in Labour Party and is focused on delivering on his promises to the people of Abia State.
Reacting to the rumours, Ekeoma firmly denied reports that Governor Otti held any secret meetings with Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, to finalize a move to the APC. He explained that after the National Economic Council meeting held on Thursday, April 24, Governor Otti, alongside a few of his colleagues, merely attended the birthday celebration of Governor Uzodinma’s twin daughters — an event that had no political undertone.
“The report that His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, OFR, held a meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State over his alleged planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is false, baseless, and unfounded. It’s completely devoid of substance and thus should be disregarded,” the statement read.
Ekeoma noted that Governor Otti’s growing popularity and outstanding performance as Abia State governor have naturally attracted admiration and political speculations. However, he insisted that any major political decision by the governor would always be made in consultation with the people of Abia and would be in their best interest.
“It’s natural for Governor Otti’s impressive performance, popularity, and towering credentials to draw attention, but Gov Otti remains in Labour Party, and any decisions affecting the future of Abians will be made with transparency and collective agreement,” Ekeoma emphasized.
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Governor Otti also warned against unnecessarily heating up the political environment with talks of the 2027 elections, saying that the focus should remain firmly on governance. He stressed that less than two years into the current administration, it would be unfair to the people of Abia State to allow politics to overshadow the task of delivering good governance.
“Though political activities seem to have started gathering momentum, it would be unfair to the Abia electorate if politics of 2027, instead of governance, is allowed to dominate discussions,” the statement continued.
Finally, Otti, through his spokesperson, reiterated his loyalty to the Labour Party and dismissed claims of any ongoing negotiations to join the APC or any other party.
“Governor Otti strongly believes in the principles of the Labour Party. We wish to emphatically state that Gov Otti remains in Labour Party and is not planning or discussing defection to any other political platform,” Ekeoma concluded.
Meanwhile, the assurance from Governor Otti has been welcomed by his supporters and party faithful, who continue to express confidence in his leadership and commitment to Abia State’s development.
