I Won’t Defect With Obi, I Remain in Labour Party — Gov Otti Vows

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has ruled out any plan to defect from the Labour Party, even as moves by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to exit the platform continue to generate political debate.

The governor made his position known on Tuesday during his monthly media briefing in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, stressing that his decision to remain in the Labour Party was driven by a commitment to rebuild and reposition the party.

Otti confirmed that Obi had personally informed him of his intention to leave the Labour Party. According to information obtained by PulseNets, the governor said he held no reservations about Obi’s decision but made it clear that his own political journey would take a different direction.

“If you recall, I joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi, so I did not come into the party because of him. He personally told me that he intends to leave the Labour Party, and I gave him my blessings. However, I made it clear to him that I will remain in the Labour Party and continue the struggle to rescue and reposition the party,” Otti stated.

The Abia governor further described the Labour Party as the political platform that brought him to office, noting that his loyalty, for now, remained firmly with the party.

“This is the party that brought me to power. If we fight through to the end and succeed in repositioning the Labour Party, then we can have conversations about other options. But as things stand, I am not defecting to any political party,” he added.

Also Read: Peter Obi Confirms 2027 Presidential Bid, Rules Out Vice-Presidential Ambition

Reacting to recent calls by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who publicly urged him to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Otti said he was not interested in being distracted by what he described as unnecessary political noise.

The governor also acknowledged Kalu’s recent distribution of financial support to vulnerable persons in Abia State, noting that such efforts aligned with his own appeal for assistance to the less privileged, particularly during the Christmas season, PulseNets learnt.