The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Governor Alex Otti seeks to retain the support of the Obidient Movement and other anti-President Bola Tinubu forces to secure his re-election, while still acting as though he has a soft spot for the president.
This is even as the party urged the governor to stop playing ostrich and declare where his loyalty lies as far as who becomes president of Nigeria in 2027 is concerned.
Uche Aguoru, Publicity Secretary of APC, Abia State, said that everyone is aware of Governor Otti’s longstanding political alliance with Mr Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement.
Aguoru said that recently, the governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, joined other progressive Southeast governors in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, where he once again openly declared his support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Whether one agrees with Soludo or not, there is something to be said about him for his political courage, honesty and consistency. He has made his position known and has never been known to speak from both sides of his mouth even during his campaign period.”
Aguoru said that it is unfortunate that the same courage Soludo showed cannot be said of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, whom he said is secretly attempting to create the impression that he is supportive of the APC-led federal government while deliberately avoiding any open acknowledgement of President Tinubu’s leadership or public support for his re-election.
The APC spokesperson in Abia State said that Governor Otti may succeed in deceiving some people for some time, but he cannot continue to deceive everyone all the time.
“A clear example played out during the visit of the Renewed Hope National Media Tour to Abia State, when the team came to inspect key federal projects executed under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in Abia State.
“Though not an official federal government or APC delegation, in other states, governors personally receive such delegations and openly showcase federal government projects that benefit their people. Governor Otti once again displayed his deceitful nature and craftiness.
“Rather than personally receive the team, he delegated aides to handle the visit, carefully distancing himself from any situation that might require him to publicly acknowledge President Tinubu’s unprecedented infrastructural interventions in Abia State or commend the bold reforms that have increased federal allocations to the state and strengthened his government’s financial capacity.”
Aguoru said that Otti’s aides, appointees, associates and his party officials have been consistent in deriding both Mr President, his family, his policies and the APC openly and went on to say, “Please, can someone explain to me how such a fellow can guarantee Mr President electoral success in Abia?”
He said that the APC in Abia is carefully observing and documenting the double standards.
“We see the support being extended to those who constantly attack President Tinubu and his family. We observe the activities of Labour Party officials, aides, appointees, supporters, and associates of the governor who daily vilify the President, attack his policies, and condemn his administration openly in the media; yet, Otti expects us to believe that he is supporting the same government his associates and paid agents relentlessly attack and criticise without caution.
“Governor Otti should be bold enough to publicly declare that President Tinubu is doing well; he should publicly declare support for his re-election; he should have the courage to state his support openly; and he should publicly tell his supporters to support Tinubu’s re-election if indeed he believes in the Tinubu re-election project.
“While the APC in Abia State is not distracted by these political games, it has remained focused on our mission to deliver an overwhelming victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. knowing fully well that we have the structure; the membership strength; the support of Abians; the grassroots presence; the public acceptance; and the political machinery required to deliver Abia State for President Tinubu and the APC.
“It is imperative to state that while other opposition governors who support President Tinubu have made their positions clear and public, Governor Otti has consistently refused to give credit to President Tinubu in all the infrastructural interventions by the APC-led federal government, but instead he has deceptively presented them as his administration’s projects; he denies President Tinubu the glory he rightly deserves while enjoying the praises of gullible Abians.”
He said that the Abia APC will continue to educate Abians on the unprecedented goodwill extended to our state by the Tinubu administration through strategic infrastructure projects, federal appointments, the establishment of federal institutions, and substantial developmental interventions.
“Enough of the political wayo, enough of the double standards, enough of the deception.
The people of Abia deserve to know exactly where their governor stands and who he is supporting. Governor Otti should stop the deceitful politics and clearly declare where his loyalty lies.
“It is important we make it abundantly clear that regardless of Governor Otti’s decision, come 2027 the Abia APC remains resolute and focused in our determination to win the 3 senatorial seats, 8 House of Representatives positions, the 24 House of Assembly seats and take over the Government House in Umuahia.”
