Abia Governor Alex Otti says his political journey will end in 2031, when he completes his tenure, as he rules out any plan to seek a Senate seat.
Rather than extending his political career, Otti said he wants younger Nigerians to take over leadership positions. He also rejected the idea of remaining behind the scenes as a political godfather after leaving office.
The governor made the remarks in Umuahia during a reception for Dr. Ngozika Gladys, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, and her supporters who recently joined the Labour Party.
Otti said his main goal is to leave Abia with a record of good governance. He also expressed confidence that his successor would perform better than his administration.
“What I can assure you is that by the time I’m done, the person that will succeed me will be better than me,” he said.
The governor said he would not seek to control the state’s politics after leaving office. Instead, he wants Abia stakeholders to consider the available candidates and collectively support the person they believe is most suitable.
“We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, who is the best person for this job and then all of us will agree and we will campaign for him,” Otti said.
He also warned against the culture of political leaders holding on to power for too long.
“Once I finish this one, I will retire. I want the young people to take over. We should stop this sit-tight system,” he said.
Otti further confirmed that the Senate is not part of his plans after his governorship. He said his attention remains firmly on completing the work his administration started.
Otti Explains Abia Development Strategy
Speaking on the pace of development across Abia, the governor said his administration had to work in phases because of the scale of the problems it inherited.
He said the government initially concentrated on Aba and Umuahia, which he described as key areas that needed urgent attention.
According to Otti, the administration has now begun extending its projects to communities in the hinterland.
“This is just about 39 months. Everything cannot be done in one day, particularly in a place that has been badly managed in the last 24 years,” he said.
The governor also welcomed Gladys into the Labour Party and praised her decision to bring children from the School for the Blind to the event.
He described attention to vulnerable people as an important part of creating an inclusive society.
Gladys, who spoke earlier, said she decided to join the Labour Party after reviewing the developments recorded in Abia under Otti’s administration.
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