Abia: Accord Party Denies Endorsing Alex Otti’s re-election

The Accord Party, led by Maxwell Mgbudem, has denied endorsing Alex Otti, governor of Abia, for a second term.

On Wednesday, during a meeting with Otti in Umuahia, the capital of Abia, Christopher Imumolen, Accord standard-bearer in the 2023 presidential election, said the party would work for the governor’s re-election.

“We are supporting him in the Accord party, Abia state, because he has done so well as a governor, and the only way we can appreciate [him] beyond words is to see that we support his candidacy as a governor, to make sure that as a party we do everything possible to see his re-election,” Imumolen said.

But in a statement issued on Thursday, Joseph Omorogbe, Accord’s national publicity secretary, said the national body did not direct Abia state chapter to support the incumbent governor.

Omorogbe described the endorsement as null and void, adding that Imumolen and his group were expelled in 2024 and cannot speak for the party.

“Non-members of a political party can not speak, act, or endorse any aspirant for any elective position on behalf of the authentic leadership of the party,” the statement reads.

“What Imumolen and his co-travellers did in Umuahia is their usual showmanship and impersonation of the Accord leadership to hoodwink unsuspecting members of the public. Their antics are well known to all discerning citizens.”

Omorogbe said Otti “fell victim to these political mercenaries roaming the democratic space seeking vulnerable politicians to exploit in this election season”.

The Accord spokesperson said Otti would have verified the authenticity of the party’s leadership on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website before accepting the endorsement.

“Accordingly, it is only barrister Maxwell Mgbuden’s national executive committee (NEC) that has the power to present candidates for elections at all levels,” he said.

Omorogbe asked Nigerians to “disregard the purported endorsement”, adding that it is the “handiwork of political merchants in an attempt to cause disaffection, discord, and division in the party”.