Abia State Governor Alex Otti has distanced himself from Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma’s claim that all five South-East governors have agreed to support President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, insisting that no governor has the mandate to speak for the entire region.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has rejected claims by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, that the five governors in the region have collectively resolved to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Umuahia on Thursday, Otti said Uzodimma was entitled to his personal political opinion but lacked the authority to commit other governors or the people of the South-East to any presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
‘He Can’t Speak for Everybody’
Responding to questions from journalists, Otti said:
“As a governor and as an individual, he can’t speak for every governor.”
The Labour Party governor stressed that while each elected governor is free to make political endorsements, such endorsements remain personal unless jointly agreed by all concerned.
He added that the choice of Nigeria’s next president would ultimately be made by voters at the ballot box rather than by governors or political officeholders.
Reaction to Uzodimma’s Earlier Statement
Otti’s remarks came in response to comments made by Uzodimma, who recently stated that the five South-East governors had resolved to back President Tinubu’s second-term bid, citing what he described as the administration’s developmental projects and interventions in the region.
Uzodimma had argued that the establishment of the South-East Development Commission and other federal initiatives justified the region’s support for the President.
Otti Says Nigerians Will Decide
While declining to disclose whom he would support in the 2027 presidential election, Otti maintained that democratic elections should be decided by Nigerians and not predetermined through political declarations.
He reiterated that every political party would eventually present its preferred presidential candidate, while voters would make the final decision through the electoral process.
Political Debate Intensifies
The differing positions underscore growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly within the South-East, where governors belong to different political parties.
Uzodimma is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Otti belongs to the Labour Party (LP), reflecting the region’s diverse political landscape.