The All Progressives Congress (APC) is not backing down on its efforts to lure Abia State Governor Alex Otti away from the Labour Party (LP), insisting that his chances of securing re-election in 2027 under the LP banner are slim.
Chief Sam Nkire, a pioneer leader of the Abia State APC caucus, reinforced Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s recent appeal to Otti, urging him to join the ruling party. Akpabio had made the call while attending Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s 70th birthday celebration in Umuahia, promising to praise Otti’s achievements if he defected to the APC.
Nkire further suggested that President Bola Tinubu might soon extend a similar invitation to Otti, noting that the governor would need to work harder to retain power if he remains in the LP.
Reacting to the development, Abia State LP Chairman Emmanuel Otti dismissed Akpabio’s remarks as “his modest opinion” that “does not hold water.”
The LP’s national leadership also rejected Akpabio’s invitation, with National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh reaffirming Otti’s commitment to the party.
Ifoh underscored the LP’s achievements in Abia State, contrasting them with what he described as the shortcomings of APC-led states.
He maintained that the party’s ideology, as embodied by Governor Otti, remains a model worth emulating.
