Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said he will not assume the role of a political godfather after leaving office, insisting that the people of the state should determine who succeeds him through the democratic process.
Otti made the declaration while speaking about his administration, leadership succession and the need to create room for a new generation of leaders in Abia State. He said his focus was to provide good governance and build institutions capable of sustaining development beyond his tenure.
The governor stressed that his intention was not to install a preferred successor or control the political affairs of the state after leaving office.
According to him, the most important legacy a government can leave behind is good governance, which gives citizens confidence in the democratic process and encourages them to demand continuity of effective leadership.
“The most important thing you can give a people is good governance,” Otti said, according to reports of his remarks.
He further stated that he wanted whoever succeeds him to perform better than his administration, rather than merely inherit a political structure controlled by him.
Otti said he does not tolerate political godfatherism and does not want to become a godfather himself. He explained that when the time comes, political stakeholders would consider the available candidates and support the person considered suitable, after which those currently in leadership would step aside.
The governor also indicated that he was not interested in seeking another elective position after completing his tenure as governor. Reports of his remarks quoted him as saying that he did not want to contest for the Senate and intended to retire from active politics after completing his current assignment.
“I want the young people to take over,” he said.
The comments come as political activities intensify in Abia ahead of the 2027 general elections, with supporters and political groups already discussing continuity and the future direction of the state.
Otti, who was elected governor in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party, is currently serving his first term. His administration has faced increasing political attention as the 2027 elections approach, with several groups and community leaders publicly expressing positions concerning his political future and the direction of the state.
In recent months, some groups have endorsed Otti for a second term. The Umunneochi Traditional Rulers Council, for instance, endorsed his re-election in May 2026, citing developments in security and other areas.
Similarly, an alliance of stakeholders in Abia North declared support for Otti’s second-term bid in June, while also calling for the governance template associated with his administration to be sustained beyond 2031.
The developments have placed succession and political continuity among the issues likely to feature prominently in Abia’s political discourse as the 2027 elections draw closer.
Otti’s latest remarks, however, frame succession as a decision that should ultimately involve voters rather than be determined by an incumbent governor.
His position also comes against the backdrop of broader political realignments in Abia. On September 17, 2026, the Abia State Government described the relationship between Otti and President Bola Tinubu as “very cordial” but said any definitive statement on whether the governor would support Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid would have to come from Otti himself.
Meanwhile, Otti has continued to publicly identify with the Labour Party, while political groups within the state have begun mobilising around the 2027 contest.
The governor’s statement on succession therefore places emphasis on the electorate’s role in determining the state’s next political leadership. Rather than committing himself to producing a successor, he said the process should involve assessing the candidates and allowing the people to make their choice.
His comments are likely to keep the question of political succession in Abia at the centre of discussions ahead of 2027, particularly as various political actors and interest groups begin positioning themselves for the coming electoral contest.
