Abia State Governor Alex Otti has explained why he will not oppose President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, saying his position is influenced by his responsibilities as a governor and member of the National Economic Council.
Otti made the clarification during an exclusive interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, September 25, 2026, amid questions over his position as a Labour Party governor who has expressed support for Tinubu in his capacity as President.
The governor said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy while serving within the government, warning that openly opposing the President while being part of the administration could lead to an “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.
However, Otti distinguished between supporting Tinubu as President and the Labour Party’s decision on its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
When asked whether he was supporting Tinubu for re-election, the Abia governor recalled that he had previously stated that he had a presidential candidate for the Labour Party.
After the interviewer suggested that Tinubu was the candidate he had referred to, 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 pressed him on whether he was supporting Tinubu.
“What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?” Otti responded.
Otti explained that Tinubu had the right to contest the 2027 presidential election and that his responsibilities as a governor and member of the National Economic Council placed him within the broader federal government decision-making process.
“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.
Otti Explains His Approach to Disagreements
The Abia governor said he preferred to raise disagreements with government policies during official meetings rather than publicly oppose the President.
According to Otti, openly opposing a President while remaining part of the government could create internal divisions.
“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’s comments reflect the distinction he has drawn between his responsibilities as a governor participating in federal governance and his separate political position concerning the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2027.
Otti Backs Some Tinubu Policies
The Abia governor also said some policies implemented by the Tinubu administration aligned with his own views.
He specifically cited the removal of the petrol subsidy, which he described as unsustainable.
“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,” Otti said.
Otti has previously expressed support for the removal of the petrol subsidy, including before and during his tenure as governor.
His latest comments come as political parties and politicians position themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with Otti maintaining that his support for Tinubu as President should be distinguished from his position on the Labour Party’s presidential candidate.