.Group faults south-east governors’ endorsement of Tinubu Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu and Boniface Okoro in Umuahia Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has said that when the time comes Nigerians will decide who will be elected President in 2027, stressing that Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State cannot speak for his colleagues in the South-east region on the issue. This was as the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT) has lambasted the South-east governors for indulging in unbridled sycophancy by attributing every project executed in the region to President Bola Tinubu. Otti made the remarks while responding to questions during the July 2026 edition of his monthly media chat, tagged ‘Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians’, held at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Thursday night. He was reacting to a comment credited to Governor Uzodinma to the effect that the South-east governors have resolved to support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, because he has caused great development in the South-east through execution of projects, including roads, rail development and the South East Development Commission. The Imo governor said his brother governors agreed to support Tinubu’s re-election because of the development he has brought to the region. However, Otti, while maintaining that Uzodimma had the right to express his personal opinion, said the decision on who becomes president in 2027 would ultimately be made by the electorate. “If he (Uzodinma) said that, it is his right to say it as a governor and as an individual, but he can’t speak for everybody. I’m sure that at the appropriate time, people will take their decision,” Otti said. The Abia governor equally made it clear that he was a member of the Labour Party and that his party has it owns Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates for 2027 poll. “My party is Labour Party. And Labour Party has its own presidential and vice-presidential candidates. To the extent that we have candidates, we support them,” he said. Otti stressed that he was not opposed to President Tinubu seeking a second term, saying that the President was constitutionally entitled to recontest for a second term. “Am I against the President running for a second term? Absolutely no. He has a right to run for a second term, and others who also want to run have a right to run,” he said. The governor noted that in a democracy, any qualified candidate was entitled to seek elective office, while voters remain the ultimate decision makers. “At the end of the day, it’s the ballot box…. that will determine what happens,” he stated. He also restated his support for some of the President’s economic policies, including removal of petrol subsidy, saying he had consistently argued against subsidising consumption long before he became governor. He reasoned that fuel subsidy encourages corruption, saying “subsidizing consumption is not the way to go.” Otti also revealed that the South-east states and parts of the South-south are parleying on how to develop a regional rail network to boost connectivity and economic integration. He said Abia has not pursued its plan to build a light rail due to issues of connectivity. According to him, the state was discussing with other South-east states and some states in the South-south to see how they can jointly embark on building a railway that could connect the region. Meanwhile, the ILT composed of prominent intellectuals, traditional rulers and stakeholders from the South-east zone, came hard on the governors in a statement signed by its President, Professor Elochukwu Amucheazi, and Secretary, Professor Jerry Chukwuokolo. “Unfortunately, some Igbo governors in order to curry federal favour are now telling us that all the infrastructures that they have put in place wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the President,” the ILT said. According to the group, the governors undermine their own mandate to deliver democracy dividends to the people when they continue crediting the President with every project they have executed. “For instance, apart from the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, the Enugu State governor attributes the smart school project to President Tinubu’s support. Similarly, the Ebonyi State governor attributes the ICT University that was started by Engr. Dave Umahi to the President. “Enough of all these sycophantic dispositions. Political office holders from Alaigbo should face the provision of democracy dividends as their mandates,” the group of prominent Igbo leaders said. The ILT also warned those parroting presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga in “reeling out unfounded propaganda that there has never been any government that has remembered Ndi Igbo as the present government, to
Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.
