Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s position on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid has attracted renewed attention after Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike said the Labour Party governor is backing the President, while the Abia State Government stopped short of formally confirming the claim.
The development has added another layer to the political calculations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, particularly in the South-East, where questions over the political alignment of opposition governors have become increasingly prominent.
Wike said in September that Otti was among governors from opposition parties supporting Tinubu’s presidential bid. He argued that backing Tinubu for president would not prevent the Labour Party from fielding candidates for other elective positions.
However, Abia State Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu responded cautiously, acknowledging the cordial relationship between Otti and Tinubu but indicating that any definitive declaration on the governor’s position would have to come from Otti himself.
What Otti Has Actually Said About Tinubu
Otti’s publicly documented comments have been more measured than the headline claims surrounding his political position.
In March 2026, during his monthly media interaction, Otti said he was not in a position to oppose Tinubu’s candidacy if the President decided to seek another term.
Channels Television reported that Otti made the comment while responding to questions about political developments ahead of the 2027 elections. The governor also criticised what he described as attempts to create political tension around his relationship with the Federal Government.
The Guardian similarly reported that Otti said he would not oppose Tinubu should the President seek the All Progressives Congress ticket for re-election.
That position is significant because it establishes that Otti has publicly indicated that he does not oppose Tinubu’s right to seek another term.
It does not, however, amount to a detailed public explanation that Otti has personally given for actively supporting Tinubu’s re-election.
Otti Rejects Claim of a South-East Governors’ Endorsement
The issue became more complicated in July after Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma said the five South-East governors had agreed to support Tinubu for a second term.
Otti rejected the suggestion that Uzodimma could speak for all the governors.
During his monthly media chat, Otti said political leaders were entitled to their individual views and stressed that Uzodimma did not have the authority to speak on behalf of every governor in the region.
He also maintained that the final decision on who becomes president would rest with Nigerian voters.
Channels Television and Punch reported Otti as distancing himself from the claim that all five South-East governors had collectively endorsed Tinubu.
Vanguard reported that Otti said he was not opposed to Tinubu exercising his constitutional right to seek re-election, while emphasising that the electorate would ultimately decide the outcome.
This distinction is important in understanding Otti’s position: cooperation with the Federal Government and acceptance of Tinubu’s right to contest are not necessarily the same as a formal electoral endorsement.
Why Otti’s Relationship With Tinubu Matters
Otti was elected governor of Abia State in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party, while Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election on the APC platform.
Despite their different political parties, Otti has maintained a working relationship with the Federal Government.
For a state governor, cooperation with the Federal Government can have practical consequences because major areas of governance involve interaction between federal and state authorities.
Otti has previously defended cooperation with the Federal Government, including on economic policies introduced under Tinubu’s administration.
His government has also continued to engage with federal authorities on projects and development issues affecting Abia.
The governor’s approach therefore sits within a wider question in Nigerian politics: whether cooperation between politicians from different parties should be interpreted as political alignment.
Otti has previously indicated that the two should not automatically be treated as the same.
Wike’s Claim Brings Fresh Attention
The latest controversy emerged after Wike publicly identified Otti alongside other opposition governors as politicians supporting Tinubu.
Wike argued that supporting a presidential candidate does not prevent a governor’s political party from contesting elections at other levels.
He specifically cited Otti, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke while making the argument.
The comments were reported by Premium Times and other Nigerian media organisations in September.
Wike’s statement has therefore provided a stronger public indication that Otti may be moving towards supporting Tinubu in 2027.
But the distinction between Wike’s assertion and Otti’s own public declaration remains important.
As of the latest reporting reviewed for this article, Otti has not publicly provided a detailed statement explaining a decision to support Tinubu in the terms suggested by the headline circulating online.
Labour Party Membership Remains Relevant
Otti’s political position also has to be considered alongside his continued association with the Labour Party.
In July, he rejected the suggestion that his cordial relationship with Tinubu represented a political endorsement.
Channels Television reported that Otti reaffirmed his loyalty to the Labour Party and said the party would field its own presidential candidate whom he intended to support at the appropriate time. He also distinguished his responsibility to cooperate with the Federal Government from partisan politics.
That earlier position demonstrates why his political alignment has generated considerable discussion.
The governor can maintain a working relationship with the President while remaining formally affiliated with the Labour Party. Whether that relationship ultimately develops into an explicit endorsement of Tinubu’s 2027 campaign remains a separate political question.
Political Repositioning Ahead of 2027
Otti’s situation reflects a broader realignment of Nigerian politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
Several opposition politicians and governors have faced questions over their relationships with Tinubu’s administration.
Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani, for example, has argued that political calculations are influencing the decisions of opposition governors who have moved closer to the President. His comments were an interpretation of the motivations of those politicians rather than an established explanation for their individual decisions.
Other political actors have offered different interpretations of the emerging alliances.
The APC in Abia has repeatedly challenged Otti to state his political position publicly, while accusing him of maintaining relationships with competing political interests. Those statements are political claims and should not be treated as evidence of Otti’s personal motivations.
Otti’s 2027 Political Priorities
While the question of his presidential preference has attracted attention, Otti is also preparing for his own political contest in Abia State.
His supporters and political allies have been mobilising around his bid for a second term as governor.
The Ukwa La Ngwa-Aba Union endorsed Otti as its preferred candidate for the 2027 Abia governorship election in May, while Otti’s political structure has continued organising Labour Party stakeholders across the state.
The governor has also continued to emphasise governance and development in Abia as he approaches the 2027 election cycle.
These developments mean that Otti’s political calculations involve both the presidential contest and his own bid for another term as governor.
What Readers Should Know
The clearest documented position from Otti is that he has said he is not opposed to Tinubu seeking re-election.
A later claim by Wike that Otti is supporting Tinubu has intensified speculation about the governor’s eventual presidential choice.
However, the Abia State Government has not presented Wike’s statement as a formal declaration from Otti. Instead, it has indicated that a definitive position would have to come from the governor himself.
This distinction matters because political endorsements are ultimately statements of political choice, while cooperation between governments can occur across party lines.
For now, Otti’s public record shows a relationship with Tinubu that includes cooperation and an acknowledgment of the President’s right to seek re-election, while the question of whether he has formally committed his electoral support to Tinubu remains subject to a direct declaration from the Abia governor.
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 elections, any formal announcement by Otti is likely to clarify whether his relationship with Tinubu represents governmental cooperation, political support, or both.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
Premium Times
Channels Television
The Guardian Nigeria
Vanguard
Punch
Abia State Government
Alex Otti Official Website
