Abia PDP Rejects Otti’s Olive Branch, Vows Stiff Opposition to Govt

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has rejected the olive branch offered by the state Governor, Alex Otti, saying they were prepared to mount stiff opposition to his government.

The state Vice Chairman/acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon Abraham Amah, made the position of the party known yesterday on a radio programme monitored in Umuahia.

Governor Otti had offered the olive branch to the opposition, asking them to discontinue further litigation against him and join hands  with his government to rebuild the state.

But the PDP spokesman countered that there was no sincerity in the governor’s offer, hence, the opposition party would not cooperate with him.

He said: “It’s a grandstanding statement, and we cannot take him serious. It will only take a fool to believe him. We cannot take him serious.”

Amah said Otti’s invitation to the opposition “is vague,” noting that it was not clear if the governor was asking the opposition to come over to his Labour Party (LP) or just to support his government.

According to the PDP chieftain, “There has been no communication whatsoever either from LP or Governor Otti to the PDP or its governorship candidate, Chief Ambrose Ahiwe.”

In his contribution, a chieftain of the state PDP, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, flatly dismissed Otti’s offer of olive branch, saying the governor should not expect cooperation from the opposition.

Kalu, who served variously as commissioner for Information and Trade and Investment in the past administration, said Otti had antagonised his predecessor throughout his eight years in government.

He said: “Alex Otti did not sheathe his sword in 2015. Even after he lost at the Supreme Court, he was still claiming that he won. In 2019, he did the same thing after coming third in the election.”

He, therefore, urged the state governor to brace up to be paid in his own coin by the opposition having not given former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu any respite, and has not said anything good about him.