The Media and Publicity Adviser to Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, has clarified that the governor’s recent visit to President Bola Tinubu had nothing to do with any plan to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), but was entirely centred on the detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Ekeoma made the clarification in a statement issued on Thursday in response to allegations by a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Charles Ogbonnaya. Ogbonnaya had claimed that Otti’s Tuesday trip to the Villa was part of moves to defect to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
Describing the claim as baseless, Ekeoma explained that Governor Otti’s engagement with Tinubu was a continuation of his long-running discussions with the Federal Government aimed at securing Kanu’s freedom.
“After meeting with Nnamdi Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre on Sunday, November 30, 2025, the governor proceeded to Aso Rock for further dialogue with the President,” he noted. “The conversation focused strictly on Kanu’s situation, and, by God’s grace, the outcome was both encouraging and constructive. President Tinubu showed remarkable understanding and magnanimity.”
The spokesman said it was important to address Ogbonnaya’s remarks because the issue of Kanu’s release is a delicate and priority matter for the Abia State Government, and allowing misinformation to linger would be irresponsible.
Ekeoma went on to accuse the former commissioner of repeatedly targeting the governor out of resentment stemming from Otti’s decision to dump their party during the 2023 general elections.
He challenged Ogbonnaya to substantiate his accusations, asking him to specify whom Otti allegedly betrayed and the circumstances of such betrayal.
“Ogbonnaya’s claim that Governor Otti visited the President to lobby for entry into the APC is not only frivolous but shameful and utterly laughable,” he said. “In reality, any political party would gladly welcome Governor Otti today with open arms. Many prominent APC leaders have openly expressed their desire to have him join them because they recognise his value.”
Ekeoma added that Ogbonnaya’s criticisms were self-contradictory, noting that the former commissioner accused Otti of lacking political strength despite losing his polling unit, ward, and local government to Otti’s party during the last elections.
He also questioned Ogbonnaya’s consistency, recalling how he quickly distanced himself from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar within two days of the presidential election results being announced, despite his earlier loud support for the PDP candidate.
Ekeoma further dismissed the allegation that Otti was politicising Kanu’s plight, stressing that it was contradictory for Ogbonnaya to condemn the governor while simultaneously complaining that he was engaging the Federal Government to secure Kanu’s release.
“Nothing could be more inconsistent or absurd than Ogbonnaya’s statements,” he concluded.
