Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed rumours of his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the Labour Party (LP), under which he was elected in 2023, remains a viable political platform.
Speaking on Arise Television’s breakfast programme The Morning Show, Otti categorically stated, “Governor Otti is not decamping. My party is not on shaky ground. Everybody must not be in APC. This is democracy.”
His comments come amid escalating internal disputes within the LP, with a faction loyal to Julius Abure, the embattled former national chairman, announcing a disciplinary committee to probe Otti and others for alleged anti-party activities following an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
Otti, however, downplayed the internal crisis, noting he had “worked very well” with Abure and still regards him as a friend. The governor maintained that the dispute arose after he told Abure the “truth”—that his tenure had expired and he no longer had the legal authority to act as party chairman.
“We have fought and retrieved the Labour Party,” he declared, adding that the party now has a functioning National Working Committee and remains strong in Abia and beyond.
Addressing speculation about his political future, the former banker said remaining in opposition can be a strategic move. He cited President Bola Tinubu, who played opposition politics before eventually rising to the presidency.
Otti acknowledged that political realities could change, stating, “Things can change tomorrow, and I will be wherever God wants me to be.”
On governance, Otti responded to criticism about his administration’s financial strategy and physical absence from the Government House. He attributed his decision not to reside there to the incomplete state of the building, claiming that his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, commissioned only a finished ground floor, leaving upper floors uncompleted.
He further revealed that an alleged N10 billion was drawn under the previous administration for a non-existent airport project. “Bring back our money or give us the airport,” he said, describing it as an “audio airport.”
Despite the controversies, the governor said he has chosen not to probe his predecessor, deeming it a “waste of time” that could distract from governance.
On state finances, Otti stated that he inherited a debt burden of ₦192 billion, including unpaid salaries and pensions, but has since reduced it to ₦66 billion without taking any new loans.
“We’ve not borrowed one dime,” he said. “If the opposition believes otherwise, they should come with the facts.”
He added that his administration had paid pension arrears amounting to ₦10 billion, settling debts dating as far back as 56 months.
Defending his spending priorities, Otti said he prefers channelling resources into infrastructure and social services, including roads, education, and healthcare.
“We found 948 primary healthcare centres in a mess and budgeted ₦89 billion to renovate 200 in our first 100 days. That’s ongoing,” he said.
The governor also expressed concern about out-of-school children in the state and launched a task force to address the issue, vowing to remove financial and social barriers to education.
“Today, Abia is running well. The state is in very good hands and moving in the right direction,” he concluded.
