Has Abia Governor Alex Otti Dumped the Labour Party for APC?

Social media was abuzz recently with a viral post that left many Abians speechless. “Alex Otti has dumped the Labour Party for APC,” screamed a Facebook post, complete with the hashtag #ViralNewsToday. For some, it sounded believable — after all, defections are not unusual in Nigeria’s political space, with the recent defection of the Governor of Enugu State. But did the Abia State governor truly switch camps?

Verification:
The post originated from a Facebook account named Obi Blessing Ifeyinwa. Meta has since flagged it as false information.

WABMA’s fact-check team searched through Otti’s verified social media pages, official statements, and major Nigerian news outlets. None reported any defection.

To be sure, we checked the governor’s close aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, who dismissed the rumour in a video posted on October 20. In the clip, he described the story as propaganda driven by “anger and bad mind,” assuring that Governor Otti remains with the Labour Party.

Additionally, Africa Check has also independently debunked the same claim.

Verdict: FALSE.
Governor Alex Otti has not left the Labour Party for the APC.