Abia State is experiencing increasing political unrest ahead of the 2027 general election, with some opposition leaders determined to prevent Governor Alex Otti from winning reelection.
Otti’s reelection for a second term as governor in 2027 has been threatened by opposition leaders, many of whom were once in positions of authority in the state.
Additionally, these individuals have been publicly criticising Otti’s administration and hosting political gatherings.
According to previous reports, two former Abia State governors—Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji—as well as other previous political figures said last week that they have united to remove Governor Otti from office in the 2027 general election.
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They claim that they want to win every elective seat in Abia for the All Progressives Congress, or APC.
After meeting in Umuahia, the two decided to create “The Team,” a vehicle for their political struggle against Otti and other anti-APC forces.
The organisation further hinted that it will file a lawsuit against Otti for purportedly operating Abia from his country residence in Nvosi rather than the Government House in Umuahia.
According to Kalu, the assembly serves as a forum for seasoned leaders seeking to regain their significance in the political climate of the state.
The senator from Abia North insisted that the legacy of past governments continue, rejecting narratives that depicted them as ineffectual.
The former Abia governor said: “Leadership is a relay. I handed over to Senator T.A. Orji, who handed over to Okezie Ikpeazu. No single individual can claim we achieved nothing. If we did nothing, where would our people be today?”
Otti hasn’t done better, he’s repainting roads – Kalu
Senator Kalu recently accused governor Otti of not doing much with the allocation the state is getting from the federal government.
Kalu claimed that the governor was only repainting roads he (Kalu) built during his tenure as the Abia state governor.
Kalu said he won’t work for Ottis’ reelection in 2027 even though he delivered for Otti in the last gubernatorial election in 2023.
He said: “I consider the Governor as my friend. And two years, I’ve never criticized. I never said anything, and they shot the first salvo. I replied by telling them that I will work for APC to win.
“We worked for him to have won 2023. We are not going to do that again. What is wrong with that? Is that why I should receive insults? It is not acceptable to me. I’m going to work for my party.
“If he has done better, I don’t know about that, because you can see that what I did in two years as a governor, the records are there for you to see. The money Otti receives in four months is what I received in eight years. That is the truth.
“He is just repainting and rebuilding the roads I built as a governor from 1999 and 2007. I’ve not seen any new major roads taking place.
“I’m in the Senate, and all the roads I’m doing in communities are brand new farmland roads.”
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They are ganging up against Otti — Analyst
Speaking about the issue, Nduka Odo, a public affairs analyst and communication specialist at Peaceland University in Enugu, stated that the protection of deeply ingrained political and economic interests is a major factor in the mounting opposition from previous governors to Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
He claimed that Otti’s rise represented a break from that trend because he took office without the support of his predecessor.
Odo contended that the alliance of previous governors against Otti is more motivated by personal interests endangered by the actions of the current administration than by party politics or the benefit of the Abia people.
Ex-Govs’ criticism means nothing — CRRAN President
Olu Omotayo, President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, or CRRAN, stated that despite criticism from previous governors, Abia State Governor Alex Otti is bringing about noticeable progress that the people can see.
In an interview newsmen, Omotayo made this claim. He claimed that previous administrations in numerous South-East states ruled for themselves rather than the people, which led to widespread underdevelopment throughout the region.
He emphasised that people should witness to initiatives that directly impact their lives and that true progress does not require ongoing government advertising.
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