The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the administration of Governor Alex Otti of promoting what it described as “bigotry, hate and divisiveness” in the state.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, made the allegations in a statement issued on Friday night in response to a statement by the Abia State Government concerning APC’s visibility in the state and the ongoing political dispute involving APC chieftain, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya.

Aguoru said the APC was not interested in the private discussion reportedly held between Otti and Ogbonnaya, who were formerly political allies, but objected to what he described as an attempt by the state government to drag the party into the dispute.

“We are neither aware of, nor privy to what transpired and therefore cannot dismiss or ascertain the veracity of the allegation,” Aguoru said.

He, however, urged residents of Ngwa extraction to assess the allegation against what he described as the treatment meted out to them by the Otti administration since it assumed office.

Aguoru alleged that, at the beginning of the administration, a commissioner and relative of the governor said during a live radio programme that the majority of more than 15,000 civil servants sacked by the government were from Ngwa.

He also alleged that infrastructural development across local government areas in Ngwa land had been inadequate, describing it as evidence of what the party considers negative profiling of the group.

The APC spokesman further accused the Labour Party administration of promoting “bigotry, hate, bitterness and divisiveness,” as well as alleged financial impropriety and unjustified suspension and dismissal of civil servants.

He said the APC would seek to address what it described as these problems if it assumes control of the state.

On the dispute over the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, Aguoru said Ogbonnaya was not opposed to reconstruction of the road but had challenged what he described as the state government’s claim that it was solely funding the project.

He said the APC was also preparing for the 2027 elections and had embarked on grassroots mobilisation across wards in the state, with plans for local government tours.

Aguoru said the party would not disclose details of its political strategy but maintained that it was working towards the 2027 election.

He also referred to the pending Supreme Court matter involving a faction of the Labour Party, expressing the view that the outcome would go against the faction. The claim is a political prediction by the APC spokesman and has not been established as a fact.

The APC spokesman commended Ogbonnaya for what he described as standing by the truth and alleged that the Otti administration had negatively profiled the Ngwa people.

He described the Ngwa as friendly, hospitable, hardworking and populous, and said any allegation that they were “people without brain” deserved condemnation.

The Abia State Government has denied that Otti made such a statement, describing the allegation as false and challenging Ogbonnaya to produce evidence.

Aguoru urged Abians to support the APC in the 2027 presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and House of Assembly elections.

He said the party’s governorship candidate, Dr Eric Opah, would seek to address what the APC described as misgovernance, divisiveness, excessive taxation and economic hardship under the present administration.

The APC spokesman called on Abians to reject what he described as politics of hate, ethnic profiling and bitterness and support the party in the 2027 elections.