Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has clarified that he is not opposed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking a second term in office, stressing that the President has every constitutional right to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, July 24, 2026, Otti responded to claims by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, that all five South-East governors had resolved to support Tinubu’s re-election.
“Am I against the President running for a second term? Absolutely no. He has a right to run for a second term, and others who also want to run have a right to run,” Otti stated.
The Labour Party governor emphasised that no individual governor can speak for all others in the region. “If Governor Hope Uzodimma said so, it is his right as a governor and as an individual. He cannot speak for everybody. I think it is still early in the day to discuss that,” he said.
Otti maintained that in a democracy, the ultimate decision rests with the Nigerian people. “At the end of the day, it is the ballot box that will determine what happens, including in this state,” he added.
While affirming that his party, the Labour Party, has its own presidential and vice-presidential candidates and will support them, Otti noted that this does not prevent others from exercising their right to contest.
He also reaffirmed his support for some of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said he had consistently opposed long before becoming governor. “Subsidising consumption is not the way to go,” Otti declared, describing it as a policy that encourages corruption and is unsustainable.
The clarification comes amid growing political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections. Otti used the same media parley to highlight Abia State’s recent achievements, including ranking as Nigeria’s third most improved state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, leading the country in maternal and infant health outcomes, and the acquisition of additional electric buses for public transportation.