Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has explained why he is supporting President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Otti, who spoke in an interview aired by Arise Television on Friday, said his position was influenced by his role as a state governor and member of the National Economic Council.
The governor was responding to questions about whether his support for Tinubu amounted to a political arrangement between him, a Labour Party governor, and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Otti said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy while being part of the government, arguing that open opposition from within the administration could lead to what he described as an “implosion”.
He explained that disagreements over government policies should be addressed through discussions within government meetings rather than through public opposition.
According to him, he participates in decisions taken by the Federal Government through the National Economic Council and therefore has a responsibility to support the President.
“I am not in a position to oppose his candidacy,” Otti said, adding that if he had concerns about any government policy, he would raise them during official meetings.
The Abia governor, however, distinguished his support for Tinubu’s administration from the question of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2027.
When asked whether Tinubu was the presidential candidate he had previously referred to, Otti rejected the suggestion and indicated that he was referring to a Labour Party candidate.
Otti also said some of Tinubu’s policies aligned with his own views, citing the removal of the fuel subsidy as an example.
“Quite frankly, there are a lot of things that we have talked about now, that he has implemented, that resonate with me and my thinking,” he said.
He added that, in his view, the fuel subsidy was unsustainable.
Otti’s comments come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with parties and political figures increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the presidential contest. (Punch Newspapers)
