Abuja, Nigeria – The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed speculation suggesting that Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is planning to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, clarified the situation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday. According to Ifoh, Otti remains committed to the Labour Party, debunking the circulating rumours as baseless.
The reports had hinted at an impending defection by five first-term governors, including Otti, as part of their political recalibration ahead of the next election cycle. Others mentioned in the speculation are governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Umoh Eno (Akwa Ibom), who are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Reacting to the allegations, Ifoh expressed confidence in Otti’s loyalty to the Labour Party, asserting that the governor had assured the leadership of his continued membership.
“It is a mere rumour and I hope it remains so. For us in the Labour Party, we are in touch with our governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and he has assured us that he is not going anywhere ahead of 2027,” Ifoh said.
He emphasized that the party is actively addressing internal challenges, noting that defection between parties is not uncommon in a democratic setting.
“The courts have come up several times to interpret Section 84 of the 1999 Constitution. Many people who defected at one time or another have been challenged in court. If five governors are planning to defect, it wouldn’t be new, as it has happened in the past,” Ifoh added.
He attributed the rumours to challenges some governors face in managing their states, maintaining that the speculation surrounding Otti’s defection lacked any credibility.
“We are good in the Labour Party, and our governor is with us. We are optimistic that by 2027, we will have more governors in our fold,” he said.
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