Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has ruled out any plan to defect from the Labour Party, despite confirming that its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has informed him of his decision to leave the party.
Gatekeepers News reports that Otti made the clarification on Tuesday during his monthly media briefing in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, amid growing speculation about realignments within the opposition.
The governor disclosed that Obi, a former Anambra State governor, personally communicated his intention to exit the Labour Party and that he had expressed support for his decision, while making it clear that he would remain in the party.
“If you remember, I joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi, so I did not join the party with him,” Otti said.
“He has communicated to me that he is leaving the Labour Party. I gave him my blessings. But I will remain in the Labour Party, and I told him that I would continue the struggle to rescue the Labour Party.
“That is the party that brought me to power. If we fight and get to the end, and we are unable to reposition the Labour Party, then we can discuss other options. Therefore, for now, I am not defecting to any party.”
Otti, however, declined to disclose the political platform Obi intends to join.
Responding to recent calls by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, urging him to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Abia governor said he would not be distracted by such appeals.
“Ordinarily, I would not respond to matters like that,” Otti said. “However, those of you who listened to my Christmas message would recall that I called on our people who have enough to extend support to the less privileged, particularly at this period.
“So, seeing that he heeded the call and distributed money to vulnerable people, I thank him for doing that.”
He added that he had made a principled decision not to respond to the political remarks directed at him.
“I am sure you are aware of a man called Winston Churchill,” Otti said. “He was a two-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and a profound thinker and writer who said, ‘You will never get to your destination if you stop to throw stones at every dog that barks.’ We will remain focused on our job.”
Peter Obi has been a prominent figure in the opposition coalition but has yet to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which the group has adopted as its platform for the 2027 general election.
However, speculation remains rife that the former Labour Party presidential candidate may formally declare for the ADC on Wednesday.
