Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has firmly dismissed speculations that he plans to defect from the Labour Party, insisting that he remains committed to rebuilding the party that brought him to power.
The governor made this known during his monthly media engagement, “Dr. Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” where he addressed growing rumours surrounding his political future.
Responding to questions on whether he intended to follow the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Otti clarified that his decision was different.
“I joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi,” Otti said. “He informed me of his decision to leave, and I gave him my blessings. However, I made it clear that I would remain in the Labour Party to continue the struggle to rescue it. For now, I am not defecting.”
The governor stressed that discussions about alternative political platforms would only be considered after all internal efforts to strengthen the Labour Party had been exhausted. According to him, his immediate focus remains on delivering good governance and fulfilling the mandate given to him by the people of Abia State.
Otti also reacted to an open invitation from the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who recently urged him to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kalu made the appeal during an end-of-year town hall meeting of Renewed Hope Partners in Bende, where he publicly promised support for the governor should he join the ruling party.
In his response, Otti thanked the Deputy Speaker for responding to his call to assist the less privileged during the festive season but declined to engage further on the political invitation.
“I have taken a principled decision not to dignify all the comments he made with any response,” the governor stated.
Governor Otti’s remarks appear to put to rest speculations about an imminent defection, reaffirming his resolve to remain within the Labour Party while focusing on governance.
