Abia Governor Otti Pledges Not to Be Political Godfather

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has publicly pledged not to become a political godfather or impose a successor after his second term ends in 2031, stating that voters will ultimately choose his replacement. The governor made the commitment on Thursday at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Umuahia while formally receiving Dr. Ngozika Gladys JohnsonChukwunenye, the 2023 Social Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, into his party. Otti outlined a succession process where political stakeholders would collectively identify and agree upon the most suitable candidate, who would then be campaigned for and elected by the public. "We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, who is the best person for this job? And then all of us would agree. And we will campaign for him. He will win. We will take a back seat," Otti said. He emphasized that he does not want to be a godfather and does not tolerate them. The governor reiterated his earlier stance that he will not seek another elective position, including a Senate seat, after completing his governorship. He stated his intention to retire from elective politics to create opportunities for younger leaders.