I gave him my blessings. However, I will not defect with him — Gov Alex Otti speaks on Peter Obi’s defection to ADC
In a significant move following the defection of his close political ally, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Abia State Governor Alex Otti has clarified that he will remain in the Labour Party (LP). During a press interaction on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Otti dismissed rumors of his departure, stating that his commitment to the party that brought him to power remains firm for the time being.
Governor Otti noted that his membership in the Labour Party predates that of the former presidential candidate, emphasizing that he did not join the party as a tag-along to Obi’s 2022 entry. He revealed that Peter Obi had personally communicated his decision to leave, to which Otti offered his “blessings” while choosing a different path.
‘’If you remember I joined Labour party before Peter Obi so I didn’t join with him. He has communicated that he is leaving Labour party and I give him my blessings and I told him that I will have to continue the struggle to rescue Labour party. That is the party that brought me to power. If we fight and get to the end and we can’t retrieve Labour party, then we can now discuss options, but for now, I am not defecting with him.”
The Governor’s stance comes amidst a year of intense internal friction within the Labour Party, where Otti has been at the forefront of efforts to reform the party’s leadership, specifically challenging the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee. While Obi has opted for a fresh platform in the ADC to lead a “rescue journey” for Nigeria in 2027, Otti appears determined to first exhaust all internal mechanisms to “retrieve” the Labour Party from its current leadership crisis.
This divergence marks a pivotal moment for the “Obidient” movement, as its two most prominent leaders now occupy different political platforms. Otti’s decision to stay suggests he intends to maintain the party’s sole gubernatorial seat as a stronghold while navigating the complex legal and administrative battles currently defining the Labour Party’s future
