Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has rejected the idea that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid represents the position of the South-East, stressing that no individual governor can speak on behalf of the entire region.
Otti described Uzodimma’s declaration of support for Tinubu’s second term as a personal political stance and not a collective decision of South-East governors or the people of the region.
Uzodimma had earlier claimed that the five South-East governors agreed to support Tinubu’s re-election campaign in 2027, citing what he described as the administration’s achievements in the region compared with previous governments.
The Imo governor also accused some politicians of portraying the South-East as a platform for spreading opposition to the Federal Government through misinformation.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Imo State Elders Council and Traditional Rulers Council at the Government House in Owerri, Uzodimma, who chairs the South-East Governors’ Forum, said the region’s governors believed Tinubu had delivered more than past administrations.
“The attempt by certain politicians to use the South East as a stage for anti-government sentiment is most despicable. We need to match propaganda with facts,” said Uzodimma, who is also Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Director-General of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
Reacting to the development, Otti said while governors have the right to express their individual political opinions, they cannot claim to represent the views of other governors or the wider public.
“As a governor and as an individual, you can’t speak for everybody,” Otti said.
Addressing Uzodimma’s endorsement directly, the Abia governor stated: “The governor of Imo State said something about re-electing the President, but I’m not sure it is right to say that. As a governor and as an individual, he can’t speak for every governor.”
Otti added that Nigerians would make their decisions on the 2027 election at the appropriate time and cautioned against shifting attention too early to campaign politics.
“I’m sure there is an appropriate time when people will take their decision,” he said.
The Abia governor also argued that governance should remain the focus, noting that the country still faces challenges that require attention before political activities for the next election dominate public discourse.
However, Otti clarified that his disagreement with Uzodimma’s endorsement should not be interpreted as opposition to the Tinubu administration. He said he supports some Federal Government policies and had backed them even before becoming governor.
“But then, let’s also say something here. This is a government, and a government sees all the work from the national level to the sub-national level and even to the corporate level,” Otti added.
“Like I said the other day, there are a lot of policies that I have supported, even as a private citizen before I became the governor of the state.”
Otti’s comments come amid increasing political conversations ahead of the 2027 general elections following Uzodimma’s public support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
