Abia State Governor Alex Otti has explained his position on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027.
Otti said his position is influenced by his responsibilities as a state governor and member of the National Economic Council (NEC).
The Labour Party governor spoke during an interview with Arise Television on Friday, September 25, 2026.
He was asked whether his support for Tinubu’s re-election represented a political arrangement between him, as a Labour Party governor, and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Otti: I am not in a position to oppose Tinubu
Responding to the question, Otti said his position was connected to the role he currently occupies in government.
“It works the way you have said. It’s a statement of fact. I am not in a position to oppose his candidacy,” the governor said.
Otti also suggested that openly opposing the President while serving as a governor and participating in the National Economic Council could create serious tensions within the system.
He used the word “implosion” to describe what he believed could result from such a situation.
Otti distinguishes government support from party politics
The governor, however, drew a distinction between working with Tinubu’s administration and choosing a presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
When asked directly whether he was supporting Tinubu for re-election, Otti referred to his previous position that he has a presidential candidate on the Labour Party platform.
When the interviewer suggested that Tinubu was the candidate he was referring to, Otti rejected the suggestion.
Recent reporting also quoted Otti as saying that he has his own candidate within the Labour Party for the 2027 presidential election.
Political position remains under discussion
Otti’s comments come amid wider political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.
The governor was elected on the Labour Party platform and remains a prominent figure within the party, while also maintaining working relations with the Federal Government led by Tinubu.
His latest comments therefore distinguish his responsibilities as a governor and NEC member from his position regarding the Labour Party’s presidential contest.
