Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has debunked rumours suggesting he plans to leave the Labour Party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting he has no reason to defect to gain political relevance at the national level.
Speculation about Otti’s political allegiance surfaced in the wake of high-profile defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in Delta State, where former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, cited the need to align with the federal government as their reason for switching parties.
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, Governor Otti laughed off the idea that joining the APC is a prerequisite for political influence or access to the presidency.
“I’m not decamping. My party is not in crisis,” he said, reaffirming his loyalty to the Labour Party. “I am even closer to the centre than some of those who decamped. Everyone doesn’t have to join the ruling party to contribute meaningfully to national development.”
Otti pointed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s own political history, noting that Tinubu remained committed to his progressive roots through the AD, AC, and ACN before eventually helping to form the APC.
“Sometimes you have to stand for something. If President Tinubu had been jumping from party to party, he wouldn’t be where he is today,” he added.
Addressing the ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party, Otti admitted the future is uncertain but stressed that his current focus remains on governance.
“I’m not God—I can’t predict if the Labour Party will exist tomorrow. But for now, I remain with the LP,” he said.
Governor Otti has previously moved through the PDP, APGA, and APC before settling with the Labour Party, under which he won the 2023 gubernatorial election in Abia State.
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