Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, has said the PDP would willingly offer Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, its governorship ticket for the 2027 election should he choose to defect to the party.
Wabara made the disclosure on Sunday in Umuahia while speaking with journalists shortly after the presentation of the Abia 25-Year Development Plan by the state government.
He described Otti as a valuable political asset whose performance in office has drawn admiration beyond party boundaries.
According to Wabara, the governor’s record in governance has made him attractive to several political parties, noting that the PDP would not hesitate to present him as its candidate if he decides to pitch his tent with the party ahead of his second-term bid.
He attributed the growing cross-party interest in Otti to what he called visible achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, industrial development and security, adding that such a scorecard would count significantly in 2027.
The former Senate President also said ongoing efforts by the PDP’s National Working Committee to reposition and rebrand the party had strengthened its appeal as a credible platform for serious aspirants, both in Abia State and nationally.
Wabara stressed that the South-East remains a traditional stronghold of the PDP and argued that Otti’s possible defection would further reinforce the party’s influence in the zone and restore its relevance in the national political equation.
He commended the governor for unveiling the Abia 25-Year Development Plan, describing it as a clear roadmap for sustainable growth and long-term development in the state.
He also praised initiatives such as the introduction of electric buses for urban transportation, saying they would ease the burden on residents.
“As an elder statesman and stakeholder in Abia politics, I have a moral duty to acknowledge performance, regardless of party affiliation,” Wabara said, adding that good governance should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics.
Recalling earlier controversies over his praise of Otti during the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba, Wabara said time had vindicated his position, as residents across political divides now celebrate tangible evidence of progress.
He urged the governor to seriously consider joining the PDP, especially in view of what he described as internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and the need for a stronger political platform ahead of 2027.
Abia State was governed by the PDP from 1999 to 2015 before power shifted to the APC, and later to the Labour Party with Otti’s victory in 2023.
Since assuming office, the governor’s focus on reforms and fiscal discipline has continued to attract attention across party lines.
