Abia State Governor Alex Otti recently welcomed former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, to his rural home in Nvosi, Isiala-Gwa South Local Government Area (LGA).
The visit, which took place over the weekend, was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Emeruwa, several of the governor’s aides and members of the influential Kwankwasiya Movement.
Kwankwaso said the main reason for the visit was to express condolences to Governor Otti on the recent passing of the first governor of the former Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, but soon Kwankwaso and Otti Speculation arose about a possible political alliance between the two countries. He is currently the only Labor Party (LP) governor in Nigeria.
Dr. Onu was buried on Friday at his hometown, Uburu in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State.
The timing of Mr. Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with a special reception hosted by Governor Otti for 15 indigenes of Abia State who had just completed their training at the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.
This convergence of notable events further fueled rumors of strategic political cooperation.
Following Kwankwaso’s visit, political analysts said the meeting was motivated by efforts within Peter Obi’s Labor party to forge coalitions with other opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. He suggested that it might have happened.
“Remember that 2027 is near. Do you think the two of you will meet like now without talking about the next presidential election? That’s not possible,” one of them told The Nation.
Another source said Mr Kwankwaso and Mr Otti were “well aware that the only way to dislodge President Bola Ahmad Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the center was a formidable alliance.” .
“They know that now is the perfect time to start talking about how to defeat Asorok's people. I believe that is the central reason for this visit.”
