The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has expressed optimism that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, may consider defecting to the PDP ahead of his second-term bid.

Wabara said the party would not hesitate to present Otti as its governorship candidate in 2027 should he decide to join the PDP, describing the governor as a major asset to any political party.

The former Senate President spoke on Sunday in Umuahia while fielding questions from journalists, shortly after the launch of the Abia 25-Year Development Plan by the state government.

“If he makes up his mind to join the Big Umbrella, the party will not hesitate to give him the governorship ticket in 2027,” Wabara said, adding that Otti’s performance in office has made him attractive to several political parties.

According to him, the growing interest in Otti across party lines is a result of his scorecard in governance, which he said would count in his favour in 2027.

Wabara also noted that efforts by the National Working Committee of the PDP, led by Senator Tanimu Turaki, to reposition and rebrand the party have made it a more credible platform for aspirants ahead of the next general elections in Abia State and across the country.

He said the South-East remains a traditional stronghold of the PDP, adding that Otti’s eventual defection to the party would strengthen its chances and restore the zone’s relevance in Nigeria’s political equation.

The BoT chairman disclosed that party leaders were intensifying efforts to reposition the PDP and attract progressive-minded individuals who would help move the party forward.

Commending Otti for unveiling the Abia 25-Year Development Plan, Wabara described the document as a roadmap for building a “new and greater Abia.”

He also praised the governor’s achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, industry and security, noting that the electric buses procured by the state government for urban mass transit would ease the hardship faced by residents.

“As an elder statesman and stakeholder in Abia politics, I have a moral obligation to acknowledge performance, irrespective of party affiliation.

“Abians are now excited to return home to see things for themselves. Good governance should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics”, Wabara stated.

He said Otti had restored Abia State to the path of progress envisioned by its founding fathers, adding that joining the PDP would further enhance his chances in 2027.

Wabara recalled his earlier commendation of the governor during the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba, noting that critics who opposed his stance at the time had now been proven wrong.

“When I hailed the governor for rehabilitating the long-abandoned Port Harcourt Road, which is a federal road, some people called for my head.

“Today, I have been vindicated. Abians across political divides are celebrating the evidence of good governance in the state,” he said.

He urged Otti to seriously consider joining the PDP, particularly in view of what he described as leadership challenges within the Labour Party.

“In 2027, the governor will need a stronger platform like the PDP, with the national spread and capacity to withstand the antics of the ruling party, which is instigating crises in opposition parties,” Wabara added.

The PDP governed Abia State from 1999 until 2015, when the All Progressives Congress won the governorship. In 2023, the state experienced another political shift with the election of Otti of the Labour Party, ending years of PDP and APC dominance.

Since assuming office in May 2023, Otti has focused on infrastructure renewal, public sector reforms, and fiscal discipline, attracting attention beyond party lines.

The PDP has been working to reposition itself ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party’s Board of Trustees, chaired by Wabara, has repeatedly emphasised the need to attract credible political actors and rebuild its influence in the South-East, historically regarded as one of its strongholds.

Speculation about possible political realignments in Abia has intensified amid internal leadership disputes within the Labour Party and ongoing efforts by major opposition parties to strengthen their platforms ahead of 2027. (Sunday PUNCH)

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