The Labour Party has dismissed speculations that Abia State Governor Alex Otti is planning to leave the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, clarified the issue during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
Rumors have been circulating about the possibility of at least five first-term governors from opposition parties defecting to the APC in preparation for the upcoming elections.
Media reports named governors such as Alex Otti (Abia), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Umoh Eno (Akwa Ibom) as potential defectors. While the other four governors belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Otti is the only one from the Labour Party.
Addressing these claims, Mr. Ifoh firmly stated, “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.”
He added that despite the challenges faced by some opposition governors, Otti has no intention of switching parties. “We believe that he will stay with us, irrespective of some of the issues which we are working hard to resolve,” Ifoh said.
While emphasizing that political defections are not unusual in a democracy, Ifoh dismissed the speculation as baseless. He pointed out that the courts have repeatedly addressed the constitutional implications of party defections and noted that such actions have often faced legal challenges.
The rumoured defection, according to Ifoh, is likely fueled by the difficulties some opposition governors face in managing their states. However, he reiterated that Governor Otti remains committed to the Labour Party. “We are good in Labour Party, and our governor is with us. By 2027, we hope to have more governors in our fold,” he assured.
Reports have also suggested that some opposition governors have been aligning themselves with the APC, either through private visits to President Bola Tinubu or by inviting him to inaugurate projects in their states. Additionally, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has reportedly been lobbying opposition governors to join the ruling party.
