Boniface Okoro in Umuahia
A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Nwabueze Onwuneme, has said Governor Alex Otti’s performance in office remains the party’s strongest campaign tool ahead of 2027, insisting the LP does not need any alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain power.
Onwuneme was reacting to comments by the Abia State Chairman of the APC, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, on an alleged alliance between the APC and the LP ahead of the next general election.
In a statement issued to newsmen, the youth advocate and LP leader said Abians will judge the Otti administration by its record and not by political permutations or pacts.
“Neither Governor Alex Otti nor the LP needs an alliance with the APC to win the forthcoming elections. The scorecard of the Governor is there for all Abians to see, and ultimately, it is the people who will judge his performance,” he stated.
He commended some APC leaders and members in the state who, he said, have openly acknowledged the achievements of the Otti administration despite belonging to a different party. According to him, that shows good governance should be appreciated beyond party lines.
The LP chieftain, however, faulted the tone of the APC chairman’s criticism, particularly the description of Governor Otti as a “tyrant.”
He described the language as excessive and unhelpful to meaningful political discourse.
Onwuneme also challenged Chukwu to back up allegations on the cost of government contracts with facts and documents instead of what he called political rhetoric.
“Calling a sitting governor a tyrant and making allegations about the cost of projects are serious matters that should not be reduced to political rhetoric. If there are genuine concerns about the cost of contracts, the appropriate thing is to present the facts, documents and evidence that support such claims,” he said.
He urged the APC chairman to focus on offering credible alternatives rather than statements made to “dance to the gallery” or impress those who facilitated his emergence as chairman.
According to Onwuneme, excessive political attacks risk further undermining the APC’s credibility in the state and could create the impression that its 2027 governorship candidate is merely a placeholder.
He argued that the Otti administration has changed the perception of governance in Abia through socioeconomic and infrastructural development that cuts across party lines.
“Governor Otti has used good governance to elevate Abians economically, socially and infrastructurally. More importantly, his administration has changed the perception of governance in the state,” he added.
The LP chieftain concluded that Abians are more interested in tangible development than in political attacks, and maintained that the 2027 election will be decided by the people’s assessment of the incumbent’s performance.