Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed claims that he intends to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu.
The governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the trip was strictly related to ongoing efforts to secure the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and not politically motivated.
Ekeoma criticised allegations made by former Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Charles Ogbonnaya, who claimed Otti’s visit was part of political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He described the rumours as “misleading and entirely false.”
The governor reportedly visited Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre on 30 November 2025 and met with President Tinubu two days later as part of a long-standing engagement with the Federal Government over Kanu’s case.
Ekeoma noted that Otti has been in discussions with federal authorities for over two years regarding the matter and received a positive response from the President.
He also challenged Ogbonnaya to substantiate claims that Otti had betrayed anyone politically, asserting that the accusations were baseless and rooted in personal grievances dating back to the 2023 elections.
Ekeoma emphasised that the governor’s actions were genuine efforts to resolve a sensitive issue, and any attempts to link the visit to political ambition were unfounded.
