2027: For me as governor, opposing Tinubu means implosion – Otti

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said opposing President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid while serving as a governor and member of the National Economic Council could lead to an “implosion”, explaining why he has to support the President despite belonging to the Labour Party.

Otti stated this during an exclusive interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, following questions about whether his support for Tinubu’s re-election amounted to a “comfortable arrangement” between him, a Labour Party governor, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He, however, distinguished between his position as a member of the National Economic Council and the Labour Party’s choice of a presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

When asked whether he was supporting Tinubu for re-election, Otti recalled that he had previously stated that he had a presidential candidate for the Labour Party.

When the interviewer suggested that the candidate was Tinubu, 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 subsequently returned to the question of whether he supported Tinubu.

“What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?” Otti responded.

According to the governor, Tinubu has the constitutional right to seek re-election, while his own position as a governor and member of the National Economic Council means he is directly involved in discussions and decisions concerning the Federal Government.