The member representing Umuahia North State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Akaliro Kelechi Anderson, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Labour Party (LP), further weakening the opposition’s grip in the state.
In his resignation letter to the APC chairman of Umuahia North LGA, Akaliro blamed his decision on what he described as deep-seated crises, factionalisation, and the collapse of leadership structures within the party.
“Since my inauguration, the APC in Abia has never extended an invitation to me, formal or informal, for any meeting or activity, thereby undermining my relevance and mandate,” he lamented.
Akaliro, who chairs the House Committee on Public Petitions and Judiciary, was the only APC lawmaker elected into the Assembly during the 2023 polls.
The lawmaker also condemned the constant suspension and counter-suspension of party officials across Abia wards and LGAs, calling it “a sign of irreversible disunity.”
He said after due consultations with his constituents and allies, he chose to align with Governor Alex Otti’s Labour Party-led administration, which he praised as visionary and development-driven.
Speaking to journalists after formally dumping the APC, the lawmaker, popularly known as “The man with excess grace” declared loyalty to Governor Otti.
He said, “Today, I’ve seen the light. Before now, I’ve been watching His Excellency Dr. Alex Choma-Otti to know where he’s coming from and where he’s headed. So today, I’ve decided to join His Excellency in the Labour Party because I’ve looked at the things he has done so far for the good of our state.
“Judging from his antecedents and what he has done, I had thought he was just a banker, but I never knew he was a seasoned administrator. He came prepared for the job. My constituents are excited that I’ve joined the moving train. I know he’s taking us to the proper destination.”
Highlighting the governor’s strides in education, infrastructure, and social development, Akaliro said, “In the education sector, infrastructure development, just name it: housing, smart schools, he has built cutting across the length and breadth of Abia State. Even the blind can see that, truly, this man came prepared for the work, and he’s doing it seamlessly.”
He admitted that being in opposition had become “very difficult” because Otti was consistently delivering on his promises.
“He made my job as a former opposition person very, very difficult because I had no need to criticise him. Even when the thought comes up, in the next moment, he’s doing it. So I had no other choice but to join him because I know he’s the right man for this job,” Akaliro said.
The lawmaker formally announced his new political identity, saying, “I’m officially declaring, and I want to be known as Honourable Barrister Anderson Kelechi Akaliro, the man with excess grace, representing the good people of Umuahia North State Constituency as a member of the Labour Party.”
Akaliro’s defection further erodes APC’s already fragile presence in Abia while boosting the rising dominance of Governor Otti’s Labour Party.
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