APC Chieftain Alex Otti Withdraws From Party’s Primary Election In Abia, Gives Reason

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 2023 governorship aspirant in Abia State, Chief Alex Otti has withdrawn from the race and would not be participating in the party primaries.

Otti in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma said the process of choosing a candidate for the governorship ticket has been compromised already hence his decision to withdraw from the race.

He quoted a memo from the National Legal Adviser of the APC dated May 18, 2022, to the state chairman to have imposed a strange sharing formula on APC aspirants in Abia state which will definitely lead to the imposition of a pre-determined candidate.

According to Otti, after consulting with his supporters, well wishers and other stakeholders, he has decided to withdraw from the race.

He however said he would be joining another party and use the platform to actualize the mandate of leading the people of Abia in 2023.

His statement reads in part; “The constitution of the party and the electoral act have no room for coercion and imposition of candidates, hence the wise provision for either Direct Primaries, Indirect Primaries, or Consensus as acceptable modes of electing candidates.

“While the rest of the aspirants had agreed to rally round and support any aspirant that wins the governorship primaries through a free and fair contest, a particular aspirant who obviously believes that he doesn’t stand a chance in a proper contest, rather chose to align with outside forces to be imposed on the party. But because we know that any product of imposition for the governorship ticket in the APC at a time like this in Abia would stand little chance in the general election, we strongly opposed it.

“That it’s my firm belief that anyone who wants to govern Abia state and Abians, must be someone who has been democratically chosen by the people, and not one imposed by undemocratic or external forces pursuing self serving agenda that would undermine the welfare and wellbeing of Abians at the long run.

“That because I know that no true revolution has ever taken place without hitches and hiccups, my dogged determination and avowed commitment to ensuring the dawn of a new era of progressive and people oriented leadership has rather been emboldened than dampened.

“That because we are on a voyage of Abia redemption, and because the leadership calamity that befell Abia since the return of democracy in 1999 has not abated, we do not intend to quit midway, as that would represent a tragedy of immense proportion for our people who have been on a long search for good governance that would give them a well deserved reprieve.

“That in the light of the above stated facts, I hereby withdraw from the predetermined governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress slated to take place in the next few days.”