UMUAHIA / OWERRI — Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has publicly countered claims by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, regarding a blanket endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election by South East governors and leaders.
Addressing media executives and public policy analysts, Governor Otti clarified that while individual governors retain the right to express personal political support, no single chief executive holds the authority or mandate to speak on behalf of the entire region or its electorate.
The counter-statement follows declarations made by Governor Uzodinma suggesting that all five South East state chief executives were aligned in backing the President’s continuation in office beyond 2027.
“Speak For Yourself”: The Key Highlights
Rebutting the notion of a collective regional endorsement, Governor Otti underscored the political diversity of the South East geopolitical zone:
- Limits of Individual Endorsements: “As a governor and as an individual, you can’t speak for everybody,” Governor Otti stated, stressing that Governor Uzodinma’s political choices represent his personal views and those of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
- Multiparty Dynamics in the South East: Otti highlighted that the South East is governed by leaders across multiple political platforms—including the Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the APC—making broad political declarations unreflective of the regional reality.
- Focus on Governance Over Early Politics: The Abia State Governor maintained that his immediate priority remains delivering democratic dividends, infrastructural development, and economic transformation to the people of Abia State, rather than engaging in premature electioneering for 2027.
Political Matrix in the South East
The exchange underscores the complex political landscape across the five South East states leading into future political cycles:
STATE GOVERNOR PARTY AFFILIATION
────── ───────────────────── ───────────────────
Abia Dr. Alex Otti Labour Party (LP)
Anambra Prof. Chukwuma Soludo APGA
Enugu Dr. Peter Mbah Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Ebonyi Francis Nwifuru All Progressives Congress (APC)
Imo Hope Uzodinma All Progressives Congress (APC)
Growing Friction Over Regional Political Consensus
Governor Uzodinma, serving as Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, has consistently advocated for integrating the South East into the ruling central government to maximize federal infrastructure investments.
However, Governor Otti’s public pushback signals resistance against attempting to present a unified political endorsement from a region with varied party mandates. Civic commentators note that such debates highlight the independence of individual state administrations as political alignments continue to evolve across Nigeria.
