Abia state governor-elect, Alex Otti said he had won governorship election in the state in the past without Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

Otti stated this in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday.

The Abia state governor-elect, however, acknowledged that Obi contributed to his election victory.

According to him, it’s on record that he won the 2015 governorship election in the state without Obi’s support.

Otti said, “In 2015 when I ran under APGA, there was no Peter Obi. And we have it on our record that I won that election. At the time we were joining Labour Party, Peter Obi had not joined.

“It took about a week before called me and said that he purchased the presidential nomination form and he was coming to Labour Party.

“We were prepared to fight the way we fought in 2015. The votes we garnered in Abia could have been had but maybe the margin could have been smaller. That is why it’s always good to acknowledge Peter Obi. He came to Abia about four times to campaign for us.

“I think he had done well for us. That is why even the first election out of the eight House of Representatives seats we took six and sent some people on permanent retirement.

“Peter Obi is a great addition to our campaign, but I can tell you that we won an election before in Abia without him.”

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday, declared Otti winner of the March 18 governorship poll in Abia state.

Otti polled a total of 175, 467 votes defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party who scored 88,529 votes.

Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, came third with 28,972 votes.

Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti, subsequently declared Otti the Governor-elect having polled the highest number of votes and satisfied all necessary conditions.

The Court of Appeal Abuja has set aside the decision of the Osun State Governorship tribunal, and has upheld the Governorship of senator Ademola Adeleke.

Recall that the Osun tribunal held that Adeleke did not score the majority of lawful votes during the July 16 governorship election, but that verdict has now been set aside by the Court of Appeal.

More to come…

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has kicked against the suspension of Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti, and other suspended members of the party.

It was earlier reported that the national working committee of the PDP suspended Fayose, Anyim Pius Anyim, former secretary to the government of the federation, Ibrahim Shema, former governor of Katsina, Dennis Ityavyar (Benue), and Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara) over alleged anti-party activities.

The PDP also asked Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, to appear before a disciplinary committee over the same allegation.

Speaking on Thursday night in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers, Wike said the PDP NWC led by Iyorchia Ayu cannot suspend members because he (Ayu) is guilty of the same allegation when the party abandoned zoning under his leadership.

Wike said Ortom would not appear before the party’s national disciplinary committee.

Wike said referring a governor to a national disciplinary committee is the “height of all insults and we will not take it”.

“Ayu and Sam Anyanwu, the national secretary, and other members of the NWC cannot suspend Ayo Fayose not to talk about referring governor Ortom to a national disciplinary committee,” he said.

“Governor Ortom who has stood firm for the unity of this country, governor Ortom who has come out openly to say that Nigeria must be one is not the type you will say you’ll refer to that your kangaroo committee.

“If there is any person deserving suspension it should be you (Ayu), who played anti-party by refusing to obey the constitution of the party on the zoning of political offices as is required. So, whoever tells you can suspend people, please tell the person that he is not serious.

“If you are talking of anti-party, it is you who could not even deliver your unit, deliver your ward that is involved. Because of the fraudulent activities you are involved in, people have lost hope in you. That is why you cannot win your unit, win your ward.

“You cannot cage any of us (G5). Ortom will not appear before any of your so-called disciplinary committees. Ayodele Fayose will also never appear before any disciplinary committee.”

Ortom is a member of the G5, a group of five governors in the PDP.