The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says he is not in a position to oppose President Bola Tinubu’s candidacy come the 2027 general elections.
Otti stated this on Friday during the March edition of his monthly media chat, following a recent statement by the member representing Isialangwa North and South in the National Assembly, Ginger Onwusibe, who said the state governor would not oppose Tinubu’s re-election.
Reaffirming the statement, Otti said, “I am not in a position to oppose the candidacy of the President. I am not running for President.
“Why would I oppose his presidency? I am also seeking a second term. So would it be appropriate for me to rationalise my answer and say that somebody else should not have his? So it has nothing to do with APC/PDP, or whatever you call it. It is a natural thing.
“Again, sometimes people, when they want to claim opposition, try to heat up the system by creating in their imagination problems that do not exist. Once you are in a government, it is the federal government, it is the sub-nationals and then it is the local government. I have always said that it is in principle one and the same government.
“We see it at every National Economic Council meeting. I may not agree with everything, but once a decision has been taken, I have to go by it. That is how democracy works.
Democracy is government of the people, for the people and by the people. The majority of the people must have their way, but the minority will have its say. So sometimes some of the problems that people are trying to create is because they don’t understand or they have interests that are beyond the interests of the people.
“Those interests that we call selfish interests. When they begin to push selfish interests, they come up with narratives that cannot stand scrutiny.”
On whether he is still in the Labour Party or has concluded plans to defect based on the problems in its hierarchy, the governor said, “The Labour Party had a problem, but that problem has been resolved by the Supreme Court. And INEC has also respected the decision of the Supreme Court.
“So the party is back on its feet and will be strong very soon. As we speak, registration is ongoing. And those who haven’t registered should please register. You still have a window to register.
“We will be having our congresses leading all the way to the convention any time from now. So, in the light of this superior information, the question about defecting does not arise.”
