Abia Assembly Lawmaker Dumps APC, Joins Otti’s Camp
In a dramatic political shift that further weakens the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, the Member representing Umuahia North State Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions and Judiciary, Hon. Anderson Akaliro, has officially resigned from the party.
In a strongly-worded resignation letter dated September 2025 and addressed to the APC Chairman of Umuahia North LGA, Hon. Akaliro cited deep-seated internal crises, factionalization, and the collapse of cohesive leadership structures within the APC in Abia as reasons for his decision.
The lawmaker, who was the only elected APC member in the Abia State House of Assembly during the 2023 general elections, lamented that he had been treated with contempt and exclusion by the party’s leadership. According to him, since his inauguration, the APC in Abia has never extended an invitation to him—formal or informal—for any meeting or activity, thereby undermining his relevance and mandate.
He further decried the unending suspension and counter-suspension of APC officials across wards and local governments, describing it as a sign of the party’s irreversible disunity.
After due consultations with his constituents and political allies, Hon. Akaliro declared his resolve to align with Governor Alex Otti’s administration, which he praised as “visionary and development-oriented.”
Widely respected for his courage, consistency, and principled politics, Hon. Anderson Akaliro has earned a reputation as a grassroots leader who refuses to be silenced or sidelined. His bold step has been described by political observers as an act of integrity and loyalty to the people he represents, rather than blind allegiance to a fractured party.
His defection marks another heavy blow to the already fractured APC in Abia State and strengthens the growing influence of Governor Otti’s Labour Party-led government.
