By Deborah Nnamdi
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has clarified that his relationship with President Bola Tinubu does not depend on political affiliation, stating that he remains close to the President without being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This comes in the wake of recent defections, including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, along with PDP lawmakers in the State Assembly, who all joined the APC.
Okowa, the PDP’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, claimed the move was to strengthen Delta State’s ties to the presidency.
In an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Otti responded to speculations about his possible defection from the Labour Party, asserting that political alignment with the ruling party is not a prerequisite for collaboration with the federal government.
When asked whether he needed to join the APC like his counterparts to align more closely with the center, he firmly disagreed. Otti said, “I am even closer to the center than some of them.
“Governor Otti is not decamping, and my party is not on shaky ground.
“This is a 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.”
Speaking on the leadership crisis in the LP, Otti stated that he was uncertain about his future in the party.
He said, “I am not God. I cannot say if there’ll still be an LP tomorrow.”
The governor further stated that Julius Abure is no longer the National Chairman of the party, as his tenure has ended, and a Caretaker Committee is now overseeing the party’s affairs.
