The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed speculations that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, refuted the claims, describing them as baseless.
Naija News understands that reports had emerged of possible defection plans involving at least five first-term governors from opposition parties, including Alex Otti of Abia, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, and Umoh Eno of Akwa Ibom. While Mbah, Fubara, Eno, and Oborevwori belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otti is a member of the Labour Party. Both parties are currently grappling with internal challenges following the 2023 elections.
Addressing the allegations, Ifoh reiterated that there is no truth to the claim that Governor Otti intends to leave the Labour Party.
“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. We believe that he will stay with us, irrespective of some of the issues which we are working hard to resolve,” he said.
Ifoh acknowledged that party defection is a common occurrence in a democratic system but emphasized that Governor Otti has no plans to align with the APC.
“The courts have come up several times to make interpretation as regards Section 84 of the 1999 Constitution, and many people who had defected at one time or the other had been challenged in court. So, if five governors are planning to defect, it won’t be a new thing, as it had happened in the past,” Ifoh explained.
He attributed the rumors of defection to difficulties some opposition governors face in managing their states but maintained that such speculations about Otti hold no credibility.
“We are good in Labour Party, and our governor is with us. We are hoping that by 2027, we will have more governors in our fold,” he added.
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