Otti Explains Support for Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has explained his position on President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027, saying his position is influenced by his responsibilities as a state governor and member of the National Economic Council. Otti spoke during an interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, September 25, 2026, amid renewed questions about his relationship with Tinubu and whether his support for the President amounts to a political alignment between the Labour Party governor and the ruling All Progressives Congress. The governor said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy because he is part of the government and participates in discussions and decisions affecting the country through the National Economic Council. According to Otti, openly opposing the President while remaining part of the government could create unnecessary conflict within the system. “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 during the interview. Otti, however, drew a distinction between his support for Tinubu in his capacity as governor and the Labour Party’s participation in the 2027 presidential election. When asked directly whether Tinubu was the presidential candidate he had previously referred to as having his support, Otti rejected the suggestion. He maintained that when he spoke about having a presidential candidate, he was referring to the candidate of the Labour Party. The interviewer subsequently returned to the question of whether he supported Tinubu’s re-election. “What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?” Otti responded. The governor explained that his position was also connected to his participation in the Federal Government’s decision-making process. He said that as a governor and member of the National Economic Council, he is involved in matters relating to federal policies and decisions. As a result, he said, his approach is to raise disagreements within government meetings rather than publicly oppose the President. “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,” Otti said. He added that whenever he has concerns about a government policy or decision, he would rather make his position known during official meetings. “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 said. Otti cites policy areas where he agrees with Tinubu The Abia governor also pointed to some policies of the Tinubu administration that align with positions he has previously expressed. One of the examples he cited was the removal of the petrol subsidy. Otti has previously expressed support for the removal of the subsidy, arguing that subsidising consumption was not a sustainable approach and could create opportunities for corruption. His latest comments therefore come against a backdrop of cooperation between the Abia State Government and the Federal Government, despite Otti remaining a Labour Party governor. Otti was elected governor of Abia State in 2023 on the Labour Party platform and has continued to identify with the party. His relationship with Tinubu has nevertheless attracted political attention ahead of the 2027 elections. In July, Otti rejected a claim by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma that all five South-East governors had agreed to support Tinubu's re-election. At the time, Otti said Uzodimma was entitled to express his own position but could not speak for every governor in the region. He also said the Labour Party would field its own presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The latest comments represent a further clarification of how Otti views his relationship with the President. Earlier in March, the governor had also said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy, arguing that he was himself seeking a second term as Abia governor and that opposing another politician’s bid would be difficult to justify on that basis. The issue has become more prominent as political activity ahead of the 2027 elections intensifies. Earlier this month, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike publicly said Otti was backing Tinubu’s re-election bid. The Abia State Government, however, stopped short of immediately confirming an explicit endorsement, saying that any definitive declaration would come from Otti himself. Otti’s latest interview now provides a clearer explanation of his position. He says he supports Tinubu while serving as governor and participating in the Federal Government’s decision-making structures, but he has also maintained that the Labour Party has its own presidential candidate for the 2027 election. His comments therefore place emphasis on the distinction between his responsibilities within government and the Labour Party’s separate political participation in the forthcoming presidential contest. As the 2027 election approaches, Otti’s position is likely to remain a subject of political interest, particularly because of his status as one of the Labour Party’s governors and his increasingly visible working relationship with the Federal Government. For now, the governor’s stated position is that he will not oppose Tinubu’s candidacy, while maintaining that his party has its own candidate for the presidential election.