I won’t impose successor, I don’t believe in godfathers – Otti

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said he will not impose a successor on the state or become a political godfather after completing his second term in office.

Otti made the statement on Thursday in Umuahia while receiving former Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate Ngozi Johnson Chukwunenye and her supporters into the Labour Party (LP).

The governor said leadership succession should be based on competence and merit rather than a system where individuals hold on to political influence indefinitely.

“I don’t want to be a godfather, and I don’t tolerate godfathers,” Otti said.

He added that at the end of his tenure, stakeholders would assess potential successors and support the candidate considered most capable of leading Abia.

“We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, ‘Who is the best person for this job?’ Then all of us will agree, and we will campaign for him. He will win, and we will take a back seat,” he said.

Otti also restated that he would not seek another elective position after completing his second term, urging leaders to create opportunities for younger and better-trained Nigerians to take over.

The governor said his administration was investing in future leadership through programmes such as the Abia Leadership Academy, which he said had recently produced more than 1,080 graduates between the ages of 16 and 25.

According to Otti, the focus of his government remains on improving infrastructure and governance across the state, adding that projects which began with the restoration of Aba and Umuahia were now being extended to other areas.