2027: Why I can’t oppose Tinubu – Alex Otti
POLITICS DIGEST — Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has clarified his position on President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, saying his support for the President in governance is distinct from his political choice for the presidential election.
Otti made the clarification during an interview with Arise Television on Friday, amid questions over reports that he was backing Tinubu despite remaining a governor elected on the platform of the Labour Party.
The governor said his position was influenced partly by his constitutional role as a state governor and his membership of the National Economic Council, where he participates in discussions and decisions relating to the Federal Government’s policies.
“It works the way you have said. It’s a statement of fact. I am not in a position to oppose his candidacy,” Otti said.
He, however, maintained that his support for Tinubu in his capacity as President should not be interpreted as abandoning the Labour Party’s political interests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
When asked whether Tinubu was the presidential candidate he had earlier referred to as someone he would support, Otti rejected the suggestion.
“No, that’s not what I said,” he said.
Asked whether he was referring to a Labour Party presidential candidate, the governor replied, “Yes.”
Pressed further on whether he was supporting Tinubu’s re-election, Otti said his position as governor made it difficult for him to openly oppose the President.
“What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?” he asked.
Otti explained that governors are involved in the affairs of the Federal Government through the National Economic Council and other engagements, making cooperation with the President necessary.
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“I had also said that as a governor in this republic, that a lot of the things that are being, in fact, I’m part of all the things that have been done as a member of National Economic Council. So, we should distinguish that.
“When somebody now says, ‘Oh, you are supporting or you’re not,’ I have to support him,” he said.
The governor also argued that political disagreement could be handled within government structures rather than through open confrontation.
“And sometimes people don’t understand opposition. When you say opposition, and you are part of a government, then what you are driving towards is implosion.
“So 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,” he added.
Otti further acknowledged that some policies introduced by the Tinubu administration align with his own economic thinking, citing the removal of the petrol 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.
“People don’t have to agree with me, but from where I sit, I know that for instance, the fuel subsidy was even unsustainable,” he said.
The governor’s comments come days after controversy over his reported support for Tinubu’s 2027 bid. In September, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had said Otti was supporting the President, while the Abia State Government initially said any definitive confirmation would have to come from the governor himself.
Otti, who won the 2023 Abia governorship election on the Labour Party platform, has continued to identify with the party. His latest comments therefore draw a distinction between cooperation with Tinubu’s administration and his position regarding the presidential contest in 2027.
The governor’s remarks also come amid broader political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians from different parties debating whether support for Tinubu’s presidential bid necessarily requires abandoning their respective parties or candidates in other electoral contests.
