Otti Dismisses Post-Tenure Ambitions, Says Governorship Will Mark His Exit from Politics

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has again ruled out any plans to pursue higher political office after his tenure, declaring that he intends to bow out of active politics once his time as governor comes to an end.

The governor spoke on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia while responding to a viral video in which a critic accused him of nurturing presidential or vice-presidential ambitions, allegedly inferred from his recent visit to detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

Addressing the allegation, Otti said differing views are inevitable in a democratic system, stressing that holding an opinion does not automatically make it correct.

“In the first place, that is the beauty of democracy. So people should hold their opinions, and we respect people’s opinions. And the fact that you hold a different opinion does not mean you are right,” he said.

The governor maintained that his political journey would end with his governorship, reiterating that he has no interest in contesting for the presidency, vice presidency, or a senatorial seat.

“One of the things he talked about was my ambition after being governor, and I have said it before, and I want to say it again, that by the time I am done with governorship, I will retire. So I do not have presidential ambition, nor vice-presidential ambition. I also do not have senatorial ambition when I finish with the governorship,” Otti stated.

He added that his focus is on fulfilling the mandate given to him by Abians, after which he would step aside for a younger generation of leaders.

“I came on a mission, and when I deliver that mission, I will give way for younger people. So he was talking of the Igbo presidency. I do not even understand what that means. So I think if his thesis is based on that assumption, the assumption has collapsed, because he will not see me on the ballot,” he said.

According to the governor, political leaders must recognise when it is time to exit public office, warning against what he described as recycling oneself endlessly in power.

“When you have done what you have been asked to do, you must take the exit door and give way to other people. We have seen people here who, after being governor, went back to become local government chairmen. That is not what we are here for. We are not cut out for those kinds of things,” he added.

Otti also used the occasion to clarify his decision to visit Nnamdi Kanu, explaining that the engagement was motivated by a desire for dialogue and peace rather than political calculation.

“The second point is about Nnamdi Kanu, and I do not want to put this matter in the public space so that it does not derail the discussions that we are having. The truth about it is that exactly 24 months ago, I opened up discussions at the highest level on Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.

He noted that Kanu is an indigene of Abia State, specifically from Umuahia North Local Government Area, and argued that problems should be confronted rather than ignored.

“And going to see him is the right thing to do, because he comes from my state. In fact, he comes from the local government, Umuahia North, the state capital,” the governor explained.

While distancing himself from some allegations attributed to Kanu, Otti said violence or repression cannot resolve deep-seated grievances.

“I cannot vouch for some of the recordings that the gentleman put in his video, where he said Nnamdi Kanu called for mutiny. I do not know about that. But I do know that two wrongs do not make a right,” he said.

The governor further emphasised that beyond legal proceedings, administrative and political channels also exist for conflict resolution.

“So my position is that it would be insensitive of me to sit here and say that one of our own who has been convicted should die when we have an opportunity to discuss, negotiate, and sue for peace,” he said, adding that even those sentenced to death could be granted pardon.

Otti concluded by insisting that his intervention was driven by a commitment to peace and national unity, not by any hidden ambition.

“Even people convicted to death can be pardoned. That is what I am working on. It has nothing to do with non-existent presidential ambition. Everything is not politics,” he said.