Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has dismissed rumors suggesting he plans to dump the Labour Party (LP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The speculation started after reports claimed Otti had met with Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to talk about switching parties.
These rumors gained traction following Thursday’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa.
In a statement on Saturday, Alex Otti’s media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the reports were “false, baseless and unfounded”.
Ekeoma explained that after the NEC meeting on April 24, Governor Otti, along with a few other governors, attended a birthday party for Uzodimma’s twin daughters — an event that had no political motive.
“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,” he said.
He suggested that Otti’s growing popularity and achievements as governor might be stirring up these kinds of rumors and political assumptions.
Ekeoma stressed that any major political decision would only be made after consulting with the people of Abia State and Otti’s trusted circle.
He made it clear that the governor is focused on delivering good governance and believes it’s too early to let talks about the 2027 elections get in the way of his work.
“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,” Ekeoma said.
Recently, several opposition figures have defected to the APC, and there are reports that more governors and key political players might follow.
KanyiDaily recalls that former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and all PDP members in the state, recently joined the APC.