(DDM) – Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State have firmly opposed the possibility of Governor Alex Otti defecting from the Labour Party (LP) to their fold ahead of the 2027 general elections.
DDM gathered that the rejection was announced during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, led by party chieftain and convener, Eze Chikamnayo.
Speaking to journalists, Chikamnayo accused Governor Otti of presenting a false image of support for President Bola Tinubu while allegedly undermining the President’s influence in Abia State.
“He wants people to believe that he supports President Bola Tinubu, but in reality, in Abia State he is undermining Mr President,” Chikamnayo said.
The APC stakeholders alleged that despite over ₦300 billion in funds reportedly sent to Abia State from Tinubu’s reform policies, local governments remained “grounded, castrated, and completely insolvent.”
“We don’t want him to join APC and we are not ready to receive such a liability into our party. Nobody in APC Abia State wants anything called Alex Otti. He is a liability,” Chikamnayo declared.
The group further accused the Otti administration of poor transparency and accountability in managing funds from the Federal Government.
According to them, allocations and intervention funds to Abia State have tripled since President Tinubu assumed office, yet there is “nothing tangible” to show for it, especially in the education sector.
They compared the situation in Abia to neighbouring states like Imo and Enugu, where they claimed public schools had been rebuilt, modernised, and equipped with visible improvements.
The stakeholders specifically questioned a reported ₦54 billion in the Abia State 2024 Budget Performance Report, allegedly earmarked for the renovation and retrofitting of public schools.
“A Budget Performance Report anywhere in the world details accomplished projects and the actual amounts spent, not mere approved figures,” the group stressed.
This rejection comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s often heated political realignments ahead of major elections.
Defections are common in the country’s political landscape, with governors frequently switching parties to align with the ruling government at the federal level for strategic advantage.
Governor Otti, who won the 2023 governorship election under the Labour Party, has faced growing criticism from opposition elements in the state.
While he has not publicly declared any intention to join APC, his perceived closeness to the Tinubu administration has fuelled speculation about a possible defection.
For now, the Abia APC stakeholders’ stance signals a major political rift that could shape the state’s alignments in the 2027 polls.