Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has issued a stern warning to political actors planning to manipulate the forthcoming 2027 governorship election in the state, urging them to abandon such ideas and allow the will of the people to prevail.
Otti, who made the remark during the October edition of “Alex Otti Speaks to Abians” held at the Government House in Umuahia, said his administration would resist any attempt to subvert the people’s mandate. The event was streamed live and later shared on Channels Television’s YouTube page.
According to the governor, he has no objection to anyone aspiring to contest, but those nursing plans to rig the polls should be ready to face the consequences.
“I have heard that some people around him say, ‘Oh, they must take over this state, they must write results.’ But the only advice I have for them is that if they truly want to write results, they should write something else before that time. You know what it is? Their will,” Otti said.
Okay News reports that Otti’s statement was in reaction to comments allegedly made by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who reportedly boasted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would take over Abia State in 2027.
The governor insisted that the era of electoral malpractice was over in the state and warned that his administration would ensure that due process guides every aspect of the next election. He emphasised that the people of Abia had tasted good governance and would never return to what he described as “the dark days of political imposition.”
“Let those planning to use federal might or political connections understand that Abia people are now awake,” he said. “The time when a few individuals sat in one corner to write results for millions of citizens is gone forever.”
Otti’s warning comes amid early political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with various parties strategising to gain relevance in the state’s political space.
The Labour Party governor, who ended over two decades of the Peoples Democratic Party’s dominance after his 2023 victory, maintained that he would continue to prioritise transparency and service delivery over partisan politics.
“Our focus remains on good governance, infrastructure renewal, and the welfare of our people. That’s what Abians voted for, and that’s what we’ll continue to deliver,” he stated.
