Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced that he will support candidates from outside the Labour Party (LP) in the upcoming local government elections slated for November 2.
This was revealed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Ferdinand Ekeoma.
This development comes amid growing reports that Otti is exploring alliances with the Zenith Labour Party, as the Labour Party in Abia continues to grapple with internal crises.
Ekeoma acknowledged the ongoing challenges within the Labour Party but assured that regardless of the political affiliations of the candidates the governor endorses, they are poised for victory.
This decision mirrors a recent move by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who conducted a local government election where most of the winners emerged from outside his PDP party. Political analysts have raised concerns that such actions may be seen as anti-party activities—a direction Otti seems to be following.
However, Ekeoma clarified that local primaries are internal party matters governed by electoral laws, and party members are within their rights to either participate or challenge outcomes.
He also stressed that the Labour Party in Abia remains committed to consensus-building, stakeholder engagement, and merit-based candidate selection.
In response to accusations of irregularities in the primary processes, Ekeoma pointed to cases where party stakeholders resolved disputes amicably through dialogue.
