Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has reiterated his long-held stance that he will retire from active politics after completing his tenure as governor, firmly dismissing speculation about any future presidential, vice-presidential or senatorial ambitions.
Otti made the clarification on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia while responding to a viral video in which a commentator criticised his recent visit to Nnamdi Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre. The critic alleged that the governor’s action was motivated by hidden ambitions for higher political office after his term ends.
The governor said such views, while permissible in a democracy, were not necessarily accurate. According to him, differing opinions are part of democratic culture, but assumptions built on incorrect premises cannot stand.
“One of the things he talked about was my ambition after being governor, and I have said it before and I will say it again: by the time I am done with the governorship, I will retire,” Otti said. “I do not have presidential ambition, nor vice-presidential ambition. I also do not have senatorial ambition when I finish with the governorship.”
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He added that his entry into politics was driven by a specific mission to serve Abia State, not by a desire for perpetual political relevance. Once that mission is accomplished, he said, it would be appropriate to step aside and allow younger leaders to emerge.
“When you have done what you have been asked to do, you must take the exit door and give way to other people,” the governor noted, criticising the trend of former governors seeking lower political offices after leaving office.
Addressing claims linking his actions to the idea of an “Igbo presidency”, Otti said he did not understand the concept as framed by his critics and insisted that he would not feature on any ballot after his governorship.
The governor also explained his reasons for visiting Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), stating that the visit was motivated by a desire for dialogue and peace rather than political calculation. He disclosed that he had initiated discussions on Kanu’s situation at the highest levels nearly two years ago.
Kanu, Otti noted, hails from Abia State, specifically Umuahia North Local Government Area, making it insensitive to ignore his plight. While emphasising respect for the rule of law, the governor argued that administrative and political solutions could complement judicial processes.
“I am not a supporter of the disintegration of Nigeria, adding that negotiation and reconciliation were preferable to silence or continued conflict. “Even people convicted to death can be pardoned. That is what I am working on. Everything is not politics,” Otti said.
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