I’m not opposed to Tinubu’s second-term bid — Otti

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Gov Alex Otti and President Bola Tinubu.

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…Clears air on Uzodimma’s S’East govs’ support claim

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…As Abia hits national top three, leads health index, acquires more electric buses

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By Steve Oko

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Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has clarified his position on President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, saying he is not opposed to the President exercising his constitutional right to seek re-election, while stressing that the decision on who emerges victorious in 2027 rests solely with the Nigerian electorate.

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Otti, a member of the Labour Party, made the clarification while responding to claims by the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, that all five South-East governors had resolved to support President Tinubu’s re-election.

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Uzodimma had attributed the alleged consensus to ongoing Federal Government projects in the region, including road construction, and the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).

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Responding to a question on whether such a collective decision had been taken by the South-East governors, Otti said that every governor and political actor was entitled to hold and express personal political views.

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“I am not sure I heard that, but if Governor Hope Uzodimma said so, it is his right as a governor and as an individual. I’m sure that at the appropriate time, people will take their decision. He cannot speak for everybody. I think it is still early in the day to discuss that.

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“But let us also be clear that this is a government and governance flows from the national level through the sub-national levels to the local governments,” Otti said.

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The governor maintained that President Tinubu, like every qualified Nigerian, has the constitutional right to contest for elective office.

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“Am I against the President running for a second term? Absolutely no. He has a right to run for a second term, and others who also want to run have a right to run,” he said.

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According to him, democracy guarantees every qualified aspirant the right to seek office, while the electorate retains the ultimate power to determine the outcome through the ballot box.

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“At the end of the day, it is the ballot box that will determine what happens,” he added.

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Reiterating the point, Otti said: “He (Tinubu) has the right to seek a second term, just as others who wish to contest have the right to do so. At the end of the day, it is the ballot box that will determine what happens, including in this state.”

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The governor also reaffirmed his support for some of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, noting that he had consistently opposed subsidy payments long before assuming office.

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According to him, fuel subsidy encourages corruption and is not a sustainable economic policy.

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“Subsidising consumption is not the way to go,” Otti declared.

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Abia hits national top three, leads health index, acquires additional 20 electric buses

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Speaking earlier at the media parley, Governor Otti unveiled what he described as fresh evidence of Abia’s rapid transformation, announcing that the state has emerged as Nigeria’s third most improved state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, while also recording major strides in healthcare, transportation, land administration, housing and education.

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He said the latest ranking reflects the impact of his administration’s reforms and sustained investments in critical sectors.

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“From number 36, we moved to number 10, and today we are ranked number three in the country, behind only Enugu and Jigawa. These independent reports show that our reforms are yielding results,” the Governor said.

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Abia leads Nigeria in maternal, infant health

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Highlighting what he described as one of his administration’s biggest achievements, Governor Otti said Abia currently leads the country in maternal and infant health outcomes, according to the first-quarter 2026 national report.

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He disclosed that 144 out of the state’s 200 Primary Healthcare Centres have been fully functionalised, while 77 additional health facilities renovated through the World Bank intervention have been completed, with about 30 more expected to become operational soon.

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The Governor added that enrolment into the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has continued to increase significantly.

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20 new electric buses for more routes

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In a move to deepen the state’s mass transit system, Otti announced the arrival of 20 additional electric buses, which will serve new routes across Abia and neighbouring states.

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The proposed routes include Umuahia–Bende–Arochukwu, Umuahia–Uturu (ABSU), Umuahia–Umudike–Ikwuano, Aba–Owerri and Aba–Ukwa.

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He also revealed that surveillance systems have been installed in all the buses to monitor drivers and ensure accountability, disclosing that the pilot and co-pilot of one of the buses had already been sanctioned after misconduct was detected through the monitoring system.

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Land reforms gather momentum

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Governor Otti said the government has issued 4,923 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) in the past three years, with almost 1,000 processed in 2026 alone.

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He further announced that Abia has completed its digital mapping exercise in partnership with UN-Habitat, a development he said would usher in a fully digitised land administration system capable of eliminating fraudulent land transactions and speeding up property documentation.

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Smart schools, markets, bus terminal progressing

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The governor said the administration has so far commissioned two Smart Schools out of the planned 20, assuring that the remaining schools would soon be completed.

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“The idea is to expose our children to modern technology from an early stage,” he said.

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He equally disclosed that work is progressing steadily at the Aba Bus Terminal, while the first phase of the Ekeoma Market remodelling project has been completed and will soon be inaugurated.

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Housing, roads and flood control

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Although acknowledging that the rainy season has slowed road construction, Otti assured residents that work continues on major road projects across the state.

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He sympathised with victims of recent flooding and said the government is investing heavily in durable drainage infrastructure to permanently tackle flood challenges.

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The governor also addressed growing concerns over rising rents in Aba and Umuahia, attributing the increase to high demand for accommodation.

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To bridge the housing gap, he announced that the government would soon commence the Pocket Layout Housing Project in Umuahia.

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Akwete textile gets fresh boost

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Governor Otti described the recent visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a major boost for Abia’s creative economy.

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He disclosed that the state has already opened a dedicated bank account for the Akwete Cloth Production Hub, adding that the First Lady has authorised the release of the funds she pledged to support the women involved in the renowned textile industry.

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He urged residents to promote the indigenous fabric by wearing and patronising Akwete cloth.

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Security, sanitation

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The governor commended Abians for embracing environmental sanitation, urging them to sustain the culture of cleanliness.

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He also praised security agencies for maintaining peace across the state and congratulated the Commissioner of Police on his promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).

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Governor Otti expressed confidence that the administration would sustain its reform momentum, insisting that the gains recorded so far are only the beginning of Abia’s transformation journey.

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The media chat was attended by top Government officials including the Secretary to State Government, SSG, Dr Emmanuel Mribeole; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba; Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, among others.

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