Abia State Governor Alex Otti has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s candidacy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that his support for the president is in his capacity as a governor and member of the National Economic Council.
Otti made the clarification in an exclusive interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, after he was asked whether his support for Tinubu’s re-election amounted to a “comfortable arrangement” between him, a Labour Party governor, and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The governor said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy, adding that doing so while being part of the government could lead to “implosion.”
“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, distinguished between supporting Tinubu’s administration and having a presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2027 election.
Asked directly whether he was supporting Tinubu for re-election, Otti said he had previously stated that he had a presidential candidate for the Labour Party.
When the interviewer identified Tinubu as that candidate, Otti rejected the suggestion.
“No, that’s not what I said,” he said.
Asked whether he was referring to a Labour Party presidential candidate, Otti replied, “Yes.”
The interviewer then returned to the question of whether he was supporting Tinubu.
“What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?” Otti responded.
He said Tinubu had a right to contest the 2027 election and noted that, as a state governor and member of the National Economic Council, he was involved in some of the decisions and policies of the Federal Government.
“I had also said that as a governor in this republic, a lot of the things that are being done, in fact, I’m part of all the things that have been done as a member of the National Economic Council. So, we should distinguish that.
