Governor Otti States No Reason to Oppose Tinubu's Re-election Bid

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has declared that he has no basis to contest or oppose President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's potential bid for a second term in office. Otti made this statement while addressing questions during his monthly media engagement held on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia.

He explained that his political aspirations are centered on seeking re- election as the governor of Abia State, not on contending for the presidency. Therefore, he sees no reason to challenge President Tinubu's candidacy.

Otti, who is a member of the Labour Party (LP), also addressed speculations about internal party conflicts in Abia State. He asserted that any disputes within the party have been definitively settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Regarding the situation of political appointees who might wish to contest in upcoming general elections, the governor indicated that those affected would resign from their positions at the appropriate juncture, in accordance with established regulations.

These remarks come at a time when there are concerns about political realignments, including the defection of several governors and prominent politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Reports indicate that the APC has seen significant gains, with its governors now numbering 31 following the recent switch by the Zamfara State governor.

Meanwhile, former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Atiku Abubakar, has downplayed the significance of these defections, suggesting they are driven by pressure rather than genuine popularity. He advised against interpreting these movements as indicative of electoral strength for the 2027 polls. Atiku had previously commented that President Tinubu and the APC would face a formidable challenge in convincing Nigerians to vote for them in the next general election, particularly following the defection of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in February.