An Abia-born cleric, Chika Ubani, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency against entering into any political alliance with Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists on Wednesday at the AllYouthAlive Retreat, Ubani urged the ruling party to concentrate on winning Abia State outright rather than pursuing what he described as a risky political arrangement with the governor.
“The APC must be deliberate about taking over Abia. There is no need for any backdoor agreement with Governor Otti. The party has credible and sophisticated candidates who can defeat him convincingly,” he said.
The cleric cautioned against replicating the alleged political understanding between the APC and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, stressing that Abia’s political dynamics are fundamentally different.
“Abia is not Anambra. Otti is not Charles Soludo, and the Labour Party is not APGA. Any attempt to copy that template in Abia will fail because the personalities and the dynamics are entirely different,” Ubani stated.
He further alleged that the political structure that brought Otti to power under the Labour Party in 2023 has weakened, claiming that several of the governor’s key supporters have defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“Those who worked for him in 2023 have largely moved on. Today, he is surrounded by inexperienced hands. That is why you see signs of panic. He knows he no longer commands the same goodwill,” he alleged.
Ubani also claimed that the governor is actively seeking political alliances in Abuja and Lagos, describing the move as a sign of political uncertainty.
“He is jittery because the ground has shifted. That is why he is running around Abuja and Lagos looking for alliances. The APC and the Presidency must not fall for it,” he said.
The cleric maintained that even if the Federal Government considers allowing opposition control in some states for political balance, Abia should not be among them.
“If the Federal Government wants to allow another opposition party control a state, it should not be Abia. They can concede any other state, but not Abia. This is a state the APC can and should win outright,” he asserted.
Recounting his personal involvement in the 2023 elections, Ubani revealed that he initially supported Otti but has since withdrawn his backing over what he described as a breach of trust.
“I supported him in 2023, so I know what I am saying. Otti cannot be trusted; he has demonstrated that severally. The APC must take note and avoid any form of political entanglement with him,” he concluded.
