Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has dismissed rumours suggesting he is planning to leave the Labour Party for the All Progressives Congress.
The governor made it clear that he remains a committed member of the Labour Party, the platform that brought him to power, and has no intention of abandoning the party contrary to the speculations making the rounds.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti strongly denied reports claiming he held a secret meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State to finalise plans for his alleged defection to the APC.
He described the claims of a planned defection as baseless and urged the public to disregard the rumour entirely.
Governor Otti emphasised that he would not make any political move that could significantly impact the people of Abia State without consulting them and ensuring it aligns with their interests.
He also cautioned against prematurely overheating the political environment with talks of the 2027 elections, noting that there are still over two years remaining. Instead, he urged that focus should remain on governance rather than politics.
Below is the full text of a statement issued by Mr Ekeoma on Saturday:
“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, is false, baseless and unfounded. It’s completely devoid of substance and thus should be disregarded.
“After the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday, April 24, Governor Otti and a few of his colleagues joined Governor Uzodinma to attend the birthday celebration of his twin daughters, an event that had nothing to do with politics.
“It’s natural for Governor Otti’s impressive performance, popularity and towering credentials as the Governor of Abia State to attract admiration and permutations from interested parties, however, Governor Otti’s political decisions, especially those that would have huge impact and far-reaching consequences on Abians, would at all times be taken in conjunction with majority of Abians and his allies. Such decisions must be justified and be seen to be in the overriding interest of Abia people.
“Governor Otti strongly holds the view that though political activities seem to have once again started gathering momentum, it would be unfair to the Abia electorate if politics of 2027, instead of governance is allowed to dominate discussions less than two years into the administration.
“Finally, we wish to emphatically state that Governor Otti remains a member of the Labour Party and is presently not planning or discussing with anyone to defect to the APC or any other party for that matter as falsely alleged.”
Governor Otti reiterated his commitment to his mandate under the Labour Party, assuring the people of Abia State that he remains focused on delivering good governance and development rather than engaging in political distractions.
