President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is allegedly mounting serious pressure on Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to defect to the All-Progressives Congress (APC), inside sources have now revealed.
ENigeria News was told by an inside source that Alex Otti’s defection is another calculative move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to solidify his hold on votes from the Southeastern region, which has become the new bride in the current phase of Nigerian politics as the country inches towards 2027.
“President Tinubu has noticed the rise of Alex Otti’s profile, given his giant achievements in Abia State, such as have not been seen before. His following has increased drastically, and his people love him; hence, having him in the president’s corner would serve as an inroad to the Southeast as the president consolidates moves to secure huge votes from the region in 2027,” the source disclosed.
Recall that Governor Alex Otti was a foremost APC leader in Abia State when current members of the party like former governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, and others, were in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party at the time.
In December 2024, when Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo flagged off the groundbreaking ceremony of the Abia Airport project, the minister, who commended the leadership style and achievements of Governor Otti, boldly mentioned that the governor would return to the ruling party, adding that he is a product of the APC.
ENigeria News reports that Keyamo’s statement has now been amplified by recent revelations of persuasions and pressure being mounted by Tinubu’s presidency to ride on the back of the governor’s popularity and huge followership to secure outstanding votes from the region.
Days ago, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila visited Alex Otti at the Government House in Abia State, where they held a closed-door meeting. Though details were not disclosed to the press, sources revealed to ENigeria News that two key issues dominated discussions: Alex Otti’s possible defection to the ruling party and commitment to persuade Peter Obi to drop his presidential ambition in 2027.
ENigeria News understands that although Otti had earlier promised to work with the president without necessarily joining the APC, President Tinubu, through his emissaries, has insisted that the only way he could fully trust the governor’s word is to have him defect to the ruling party like other defecting governors. While Otti is yet to give an official response, close aides who spoke to this newspaper believe negotiations are far advanced, and the APC does not appear to be backing down.
As the defection talks continue to swell, the APC on Wednesday announced the suspension of Abia State, local government, and ward congresses in Abia and Adamawa States.
This development is coming after the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodinma, alongside his wife, visited Governor Otti on New Year’s Day, followed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, weeks later.
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also in Abia State on Wednesday, publicly seen as attending the governor’s 61st birthday celebration. However, beneath the surface, analysts say those visits were far from random.
ENigeria News reports that the unresolved crisis in the Labour Party is not helping matters, while the coalition All Democratic Congress (ADC), on the other hand, is bedeviled with uncertainties and legal landmines. The choices left with Otti appear minimal. While he is reportedly considering defecting, even though in his original plan the ruling party was not in the picture, the pressure coming from the presidency, along with the perks that accompany it, is said to be overwhelming. At the same time, options outside the APC appear equally slim.
Political calculations indicate that as 2027 approaches, and with uncertainty in the North, President Tinubu’s alternative strategy is to consolidate footprints in the South. Having failed to secure the South-East in 2023, insiders say he is now pushing hard to find a decisive inroad into the region by wooing influential political figures.
Despite the presence of figures like Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu in the ruling party, Tinubu reportedly believes they do not command the cult-like following that Governor Otti currently enjoys, hence the mounting pressure on him to defect.
Tinubu Moves to Persuade Peter Obi to Step Down in 2027
As earlier revealed, Gbajabiamila’s visit to Abia State was also part of a strategic negotiation. An informed source present at the meeting disclosed that Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition was a central topic.
ENigeria Newspaper investigation reveals that Tinubu is jittery about Peter Obi’s dominance and huge following in the South-East, which he believes could pose a serious threat to his second-term bid in 2027.
With uncertainties growing in the North, insiders say Tinubu sees having Otti and Obi on his side as the surest pathway to stabilizing his political calculations.
“Events of 2023 demonstrated to the president that even if Obi does not win the 2027 presidential election, his influence in the South-East could play a spoiler role and destroy the chances of the APC at the poll,” an insider told ENigeria News in Umuahia.
Hence, Gbajabiamila’s mission included persuading Otti to convince Obi to drop his 2027 ambition. However, sources say the governor did not give any express assurance on that subject.
As things stand, it remains unclear what Otti’s final decision will be. However, ongoing silent moves suggest he is under immense pressure, and the coming days are expected to prove decisive.
This is a developing story. More details to follow.
