Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has debunked speculations that he plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting he enjoys a close relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without needing to switch parties.
His s come amid recent defections by opposition figures, including those of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to the APC.
In an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Governor Otti dismissed the idea that joining the APC is a prerequisite for influence at the federal level.
When asked whether he needed to move to the ruling party to stay close to the president, Otti replied, “I am even closer to the centre than some of them.
“Governor Otti is not decamping, and my party is not on shaky ground.
“This is democracy, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held on to his Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, and Action Congress of Nigeria before becoming APC. If he had defected, he wouldn’t be president today. Sometimes, you also have to stand for something.”
However, Otti admitted he couldn’t predict the long-term future of the Labour Party amid ongoing internal wrangling.
He said, “I am not God. I cannot say if there’ll still be an LP tomorrow.”
He also noted that Julius Abure’s tenure as the party’s National Chairman had expired, and that a Caretaker Committee was now overseeing its affairs.
