Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has firmly denied rumours that he is planning to leave the Labour Party for either the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or a new opposition coalition forming ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking at a dinner in Umuahia, Governor Otti said he remains committed to the Labour Party and has not attended any coalition meetings.
“I’m still a member of the Labour Party and I’m not looking for where to decamp to,” he said, responding to speculation about ongoing political realignments in the country.
Addressing reports that five governors were considering joining the APC, Otti said he had not been invited to or attended any coalition gatherings.
“We are just busy doing the work that Abia people have given us,” he added. “I have not attended any coalition meeting, and nobody has invited me.”
The governor also pushed back against claims that his administration had been borrowing funds to manage the state, saying no new loans had been taken since he assumed office in May 2023.
“I am happy where I am,” he said. “Yes, we’ve had issues—but if you don’t have issues, you’re probably not alive. We solve problems; we don’t run from them.”
Governor Otti’s remarks come amid a series of defections and shifting political alliances across Nigeria as the race toward the next general election gradually begins.