Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has reaffirmed his commitment to the Labour Party (LP), stating that he has no intention of joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite being close to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
His statement follows recent high-profile defections, including that of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who both joined the APC along with PDP lawmakers. Okowa claimed the move was necessary to bring Delta State closer to Aso Rock.
However, speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Governor Otti dismissed such reasoning. He noted that political allegiance is not a prerequisite for collaboration with the presidency.
“I am even closer to the centre than some of them,” Otti stated, adding, “Governor Otti is not decamping, and my party is not on shaky ground.”
Otti further referenced President Tinubu’s political journey, highlighting how Tinubu remained with his party until the eventual formation of the APC.
“This is democracy, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held on to his Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, and Action Congress of Nigeria before becoming APC. If he had defected, he wouldn’t be president today. Sometimes, you also have to stand for something.”
When asked about the current leadership crisis within the Labour Party, the governor acknowledged uncertainty about the future but stressed that loyalty to values is key.
“I am not God. I cannot say if there’ll still be an LP tomorrow,” he said, adding that Julius Abure is no longer the party’s leader as his tenure has expired. A Caretaker Committee is now in charge of party affairs.
Governor Otti’s remarks appear to signal a firm stance on political identity and ideological consistency, amid growing concerns about party-switching among Nigerian politicians seeking federal alignment.
