Abia Politics Heats Up as PDP’s Aburu Mocks Governor Otti, Labour Party Reacts

Political tensions in Abia State escalated sharply this week following a controversial outburst by Chinedu Aburu, a prominent chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who mocked Governor Alex Otti with personal and intellectual insults.

While speaking during a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, Aburu launched a scathing verbal attack on the state governor, saying, “He is not only dwarfy in appearance, he is dwarfy in knowledge.”

The comment, which drew mixed reactions from the gathering, has since gone viral on social media and ignited fierce public debate.

Critics have described the statement as deeply offensive and unbecoming of a political leader, accusing Aburu of resorting to body shaming and personal attacks rather than engaging in issue-based opposition.

In swift response, sources within the Abia State Government revealed that a disciplinary and ethics review committee has been set up to review the incident and explore possible legal and political consequences for what they called “defamatory and indecent remarks against a sitting governor.”

Speaking on behalf of the Labour Party, Mr. Kenneth Ndu condemned Aburu’s comments, calling them “a dangerous descent into gutter politics.”

“This is not just an insult on Governor Otti, but an attack on the principles of respectful and constructive political engagement,” Ndu said.

“We must rise above petty insults and focus on the real issues affecting Abia people.”
So far, the PDP has not issued an official statement, and Aburu has neither retracted nor apologized for his remarks. Some party insiders say the leadership may avoid internal sanctions to prevent further internal divisions.

The outburst comes amid rising political rivalry in the state as various factions position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections. Observers warn that such inflammatory rhetoric could deepen political divides and distract from governance.

For now, all eyes are on both parties to see how they handle the fallout—and whether civility can return to Abia’s political discourse.