Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has reaffirmed that he will retire from active politics at the end of his tenure, dismissing claims that he harbours ambitions for the presidency, vice-presidency, or a senatorial seat.
The governor made the declaration on Friday, 19 December 2025, at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Government House, Umuahia, while addressing controversies surrounding his recent visit to detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“One of the things he talked about was my ambition after being governor. I have said it before, and I will say it again: by the time I am done with governorship, I will retire,” Otti said. “I have no presidential ambition, no vice-presidential ambition, and no senatorial ambition after this office. If anyone’s thesis is based on that assumption, then it has already collapsed because they will not see me on the ballot.”
Otti emphasised that effective leadership requires knowing when to step aside. “I came here for a mission, and when I deliver that mission, I will give way to younger people. It is important for a political office holder to know when to quit, especially when he has done what he was asked to do,” he added.
Criticising the trend of former governors seeking lower offices, Otti stated, “We have seen people who, after being governor, went on to become local government chairmen. That is not who we are, and that is not what we are cut out for.”
Regarding his visit to Nnamdi Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, Otti clarified that it was motivated by concern and a long-standing effort to find a peaceful resolution, not political gain. “Going to see him is the right thing to do. There are always ways to solve a problem, and I do not believe that ignoring a problem solves it,” he said.
Otti also addressed national security concerns, recalling his condemnation of Operation Python Dance during the South-East crisis. “I condemned it then, and I still condemn it now. Some of the recordings circulated in that video, I cannot vouch for their authenticity,” he noted.
Highlighting the role of dialogue alongside legal processes, the governor said, “I am not a lawyer. If the judiciary convicts someone, that is the position of the court of first instance, but the law also allows for appeals up to the Supreme Court. But beyond that, we are trying to intervene. I am not a supporter of the disintegration of Nigeria. It would be insensitive of me to sit here and say that one of our own should die when there is an opportunity to discuss, negotiate and sue for peace. That is my position.”
