Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, says the party is willing to give Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, its 2027 governorship ticket if he agrees to defect.
Wabara spoke in Umuahia on Sunday, December 21, while answering 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.
He attributed the growing interest in Otti across party lines to what he described as the governor’s strong “scorecard in governance,” which he said would work in his favour in 2027.
Wabara also said efforts by the PDP’s National Working Committee, led by Senator Tanimu Turaki, to reposition and rebrand the party have made it a more credible platform for aspirants in Abia and nationally.
He noted that the South‑East remains a traditional PDP base and argued that Otti’s eventual defection would boost the party’s chances and “restore the zone’s relevance in Nigeria’s political equation.”
The BoT chairman said party leaders are stepping up moves to reposition the PDP and attract “progressive‑minded individuals” to strengthen the platform.
Commending Otti for unveiling the Abia 25‑Year Development Plan, Wabara described it as a roadmap for building a “new and greater Abia.”
He also praised the governor’s performance in key sectors, noting that “the electric buses procured by the state government for urban mass transit” would ease hardship for residents.
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“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,” and argued that joining the PDP would further improve his chances in 2027.
Wabara recalled that he had earlier publicly commended Otti during the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba, a position that drew criticism at the time.
“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 moving to the PDP, citing what he called leadership problems in 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 to 2015 before losing power to the All Progressives Congress. The state witnessed another shift in 2023 with Otti’s election on the platform of the Labour Party.
Political speculation in Abia has intensified amid internal leadership disputes within the Labour Party and renewed efforts by major opposition parties to strengthen their platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections..