The Abia Council of Traditional Prime Ministers has pledged to mobilise its members and grassroots networks in support of Governor Alex Otti’s re-election in the 2027 general elections, describing his performance in office as transformative and worthy of continued leadership.
At the end of its quarterly meeting in Umuahia, the state capital on Tuesday, the council passed a vote of confidence in the governor and formally adopted him as its sole governorship candidate for the 2027 poll. The declaration was made public in a communiqué signed by the council president, Chief Uche Akwukwaegbu, and read by council member Chief Okeosisi Harbour.
In the communiqué, the traditional prime ministers justified their decision by outlining what they termed Otti’s “unmatched performance” during his first term in office, which they noted came despite his inheriting “nothing on assumption of office.”
The council pointed to visible improvements in key urban centres, including Aba, the commercial hub, and Umuahia, the state capital.
According to the statement, “Today, Aba in particular has grown from its old glory into an ultra-modern city in the area of roads and infrastructure, electricity, promotion of commerce, security and overall development.”
The group also highlighted the near completion of the Umuahia ultra-modern bus terminal, which it described as a “wonder centre” not previously seen east of the Niger, and applauded the administration’s electricity programme, which they said was “99 per cent ready for the takeover of electricity distribution in the state.”
In addition, the council praised the governor for the regular payment of salaries and pensions for public servants, a benchmark of fiscal stability they said was lacking before his tenure.
Although the council positions itself as a non-partisan group, the communiqué made it clear that its support for Otti transcends party affiliations:
“Irrespective of party affiliation, this organisation is non-partisan. But because of his wonderful performance, we have gone beyond the partisan line to adopt him so that there will be continuity.”
The statement went further, “The opposition has nothing to offer the Abia people. He has done well and we want him to do better. We are solidly behind him and there is nothing that will happen.”
The council also appealed to traditional prime ministers across Abia who are not yet members of the organisation to join, suggesting that a united traditional leadership would strengthen the groundwork for the governor’s 2027 campaign.
The endorsement from Abia’s traditional prime ministers comes amid broader political activity in the state ahead of the 2027 election cycle. Other groups and stakeholders have also declared their support for Otti’s re-election bid, underscoring what some see as growing confidence in his leadership, though not without resistance from opposition quarters.
