The aide to Alex Otti, governor of Abia State, has clarified that the governor’s recent visit to Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa was entirely about efforts to secure the release of Nnamdi Kanu — and not about any plans to defect to a new political party.
According to the statement released by the governor’s media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Aso Rock meeting followed a prison visit that Otti made to the detained IPOB leader at the Sokoto Correctional Centre on November 30, 2025. Ekeoma emphasised that the sole agenda of the State House visit was to advance ongoing negotiations for Kanu’s freedom.
Ekeoma described as “petty, ignoble and irresponsible” insinuations by a former Abia commissioner who claimed the meeting was about Otti defecting to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said there was no shred of truth in those allegations.
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Why the Visit Matters
This latest development comes amid sustained pressure from stakeholders in the South-East and beyond for a resolution to the detention of the IPOB leader. Kanu has been serving a life sentence following a 2025 federal court ruling on terrorism-related charges. Since assuming office, Otti has signalled that resolving the matter is among his administration’s top priorities.
During the visit to the prison, Otti met alongside Kanu’s younger brother and legal team, and offered assurances that the engagements initiated over two years ago have been intensified. Ekeoma said the governor is optimistic the case will be settled administratively.
According to some accounts, the discussions also touched on the potential involvement of traditional institutions — including support from the Sultan of Sokoto — in facilitating a peaceful resolution.
Observers suggest that the closed-door meeting at the State House signals a serious attempt to push the case beyond state-level efforts and engage the federal executive directly. The timing and confidentiality may indicate ongoing delicate negotiations on a matter that has polarised opinion and drawn attention across Nigeria.
Re-affirming Political Position
Beyond the issue of Kanu’s release, this clarification from Otti’s camp comes shortly after renewed rumours that he might defect from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Such speculation has occasionally surfaced since mid-2025
In his defence, the governor’s aide underscored that any suggestion of defection is a distraction from the real issue at hand — securing justice for Kanu. He challenged critics to provide evidence showing when, how, or who Otti allegedly betrayed, describing the accusations as baseless.
Otti’s loyalists say that, if the governor intended to switch parties, the process would be conspicuous, not grounded in clandestine rumours and hearsay. They argue that such false narratives only serve to destabilise genuine efforts at resolving Kanu’s situation.
What This Means for the Kanu Situation
The seriousness of the State House engagement suggests that negotiations for Kanu’s release have entered a critical phase. Otti’s willingness to engage the presidency directly shows his administration’s commitment to resolving a high-stakes matter that resonates deeply across the South-East and among pro-Biafra sympathisers.
Still unanswered are details about the content of the meeting and possible outcomes. The public only knows that the issue of Kanu’s release dominated discussions. But the visible resolve by the Abia governor to push the matter graciously might be welcomed by those calling for peace, justice, and closure.
Critics who attempted to mislabel the visit as political repositioning have now been publicly rebuffed by Otti’s team. For now, the focus remains singular: to utilise every legitimate channel to bring Kanu’s plight to a resolution while preserving political integrity.
As the process unfolds behind closed doors, Nigerians and observers will watch for signs, official statements, judicial movements, or perhaps an unexpected breakthrough that could alter the course of one of the most charged political-legal flashpoints in recent times.
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