Abia State Governor Alex Otti has clarified his position on President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, saying his responsibilities as governor and member of the National Economic Council affect how he approaches the issue.
Otti spoke during an exclusive interview with Arise Television on Friday while responding to questions about his relationship with the Tinubu administration.
The governor, who was elected under the Labour Party, was asked whether his position amounted to an arrangement between him and the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
‘I am not in a position to oppose his candidacy’
Otti acknowledged that his position could be viewed in that context.
“It works the way you have said. It’s a statement of fact. I am not in a position to oppose his candidacy,” he said.
The governor explained that his role requires him to participate in the National Economic Council, where state governors engage with the Federal Government on economic and national issues.
He indicated that openly taking an opposing position against the President while occupying that role could create tensions within the government system.
Otti rejects suggestion that Tinubu is his Labour candidate
Despite his comments about not opposing Tinubu’s candidacy, Otti did not identify the President as his preferred Labour Party presidential candidate.
During the interview, he said he had previously stated that he had a presidential candidate for the Labour Party.
When the interviewer suggested that the candidate was Tinubu, Otti rejected the suggestion.
The distinction is significant because Otti’s comments address two separate issues: his working relationship with the Federal Government as a governor and his position within the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
2027 political alignments
Otti’s comments come as political parties and politicians continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Labour Party has its own presidential candidate for the election, while several politicians outside the ruling APC have publicly discussed their relationships with Tinubu and his re-election bid.
Otti’s latest statement provides his explanation for maintaining cooperation with the President while also distinguishing that relationship from his position on the Labour Party’s presidential contest.
