Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti, says Peter Obi joining Labour Party did not determine the outcome of the just concluded gubernatorial poll in the south eastern state.
Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the just concluded poll.
Speaking in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday, Otti said he’s won election before in Abia when Obi was not in the picture.
He said Obi had not joined LP when he joined the party.
He said, “In 2015 when I ran under APGA, there was no Peter Obi. And we have it on our record that I won that election. At the time we were joining Labour Party, Peter Obi had not joined. It took about a week before called me and said that he purchased the presidential nomination form and he was coming to Labour Party.
“We were prepared to fight the way we fought in 2015. The votes we garnered in Abia could have been had but maybe the margin could have been smaller. That is why it’s always good to acknowledge Peter Obi. He came to Abia about four times to campaign for us.
“I think he had done well for us. That is why even the first election out of the eight House of Representatives seats we took six and sent some people on permanent retirement.
“Peter Obi is a great addition to our campaign, but I can tell you that we won an election before in Abia without him.”