Abia State Governor Alex Otti announced on Thursday that, while he remains a member of the Labour Party, he has given his supporters the freedom to join any party of their choice for the upcoming local government elections in the state.
Otti made this statement during his monthly media chat with journalists in Umuahia, held in November.
“I remain in LP, if there is the need to leave, you will be properly informed,” he said.
The governor’s faction of the Labour Party (LP) was overruled by the court, which reinstated Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.
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Amid internal disputes within the party, the faction led by the 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Alex Otti distanced itself from the Abure-led faction. In response, the governor announced that he had advised his supporters to join any party of their choice.
Although LP remains the official party of the state government, it did not field candidates in the local government elections.
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) secured victories in 15 local government areas, while the Young People’s Party (YPP) won in two councils, sparking speculation that the governor may be planning to defect to the ZLP.
Otti, speaking on Thursday, however, said “I can assure you that I am in LP.
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“The crisis in LP made a lot of our supporters go elsewhere. Our people know those that would deliver the goods. As our people say, you know the child you would send out that would not disgrace you when they give him food. Even if he is hungry, he will refuse to eat.
“I believe that was what has happened in this case, right from the time I stood up to contest the election in 2015. When I left PDP to join APGA, our people followed me and I won that election then.
“APGA has not won even one councillorship before that time and then, we took almost half of the House of Assembly seats in 2015.
“So, sometimes, people recognise that political parties are empty platforms and that when you muddle up things in your political parties, you give advantage, create opportunities for your competitors and that was what happened in this last election.
“I authorised my followers to join any political party that they liked and the majority of them moved into other political parties. I remain in the Labour Party.
“Anytime I am going to leave, that is if there is any need to leave, you would be properly informed,” he said.
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