I Won’t Oppose Tinubu’s Candidacy In 2027 – Gov. Otti

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said he will not oppose President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid to contest the 2027 presidential election.

This was just as he stressed that the president has the constitutional right to seek another term in the forthcoming poll.

Otti, however, clarified that his decision not to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the president’s re-election bid.

The governor made this known during an interview with ARISE News aired on Friday, while responding to questions about his position on Tinubu and the 2027 presidential election.

Otti said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy, noting that disagreements within government should be addressed internally rather than through public opposition.

“I’m not in a position to oppose his candidacy,” the governor said.

According to him, when a person is part of a government, publicly opposing its direction could create unnecessary divisions and undermine the administration.

He explained that whenever he has concerns about government policies or decisions, he would raise them during meetings where such issues could be discussed.

“If I do have a problem with anything, I’ll sit down in one of our meetings and I’ll make my point. So I’m not going to oppose his candidacy,” Otti stated.

The Abia governor also maintained that Tinubu has the right to contest the 2027 election, adding that nobody could prevent him from exercising that right.

He, however, drew a distinction between acknowledging Tinubu’s right to contest and supporting his presidential ambition.

When asked whether he was supporting Tinubu for the 2027 election, Otti said he already had a presidential candidate under the Labour Party.

“Why would I support the president? For 2027 presidential election, I’ve said that I have a presidential candidate. The presidential candidate for Labour Party,” he said.

Otti further explained that, as a state governor and a member of the National Economic Council, he is involved in some of the decisions and programmes being implemented by the Federal Government.

He said several policies introduced by the Tinubu administration resonate with his own thinking, citing the removal of fuel subsidy as an example.

The governor described the former fuel subsidy regime as unsustainable, while noting that any attempt to reintroduce the subsidy would require adequate funding.

“There are a lot of things that we have talked about now that he has implemented that resonates with me and my thinking,” Otti said.

He added, “For instance, the fuel subsidy was even unsustainable. And if you want to reintroduce it, that’s fine. But then you need to also fund it.”

Otti’s comments come amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with parties and political actors positioning themselves for the presidential contest.

Meanwhile, the Abia governor has also recounted how he narrowly escaped an alleged assassination attempt in Abuja in 2015 while pursuing his gubernatorial ambition.

Otti disclosed that about 12 gunmen reportedly came to Maitama, Abuja, in July 2015 to kill him but arrived shortly after he had left the building.

He recounted the incident on Thursday during a solemn assembly and covenant renewal service organised by the Abia State Government in Umuahia.

According to him, the attackers shot two people and searched the premises, believing he was still inside.

“They shot two persons. They were looking for me, but God had taken me away,” Otti said.

“They finished; they couldn’t find me. They were about 12.

“They jumped into the next compound and stripped the whole place. They thought I was there, but I had left.”

The governor said he regarded his escape as an act of divine intervention.