‘You can’t speak for everyone in south-east’ — Otti counters Uzodimma on Tinubu re-election claim

Alex Otti, governor of Abia, has hit back at Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, who recently said all five south-east governors have resolved to support the second term bid of President Bola Tinubu.

Otti spoke on Thursday during his July media briefing in Umuahia.

BACKGROUND

During a meeting with the Imo state elders council and traditional rulers in Owerri on Wednesday, Uzodimma said Tinubu had demonstrated “unprecedented commitment” to the development of the south-east under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The South-east has decided. Our people judge governments by performance and not by political sentiments. The evidence is on the ground,” Uzodimma said.

“We, the five governors of the south-east, have reviewed all options and decided that we will work with President Bola Tinubu because we want to be part of the Project Nigeria.”

‘HE CAN’T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE’

Responding to the Imo governor’s comments, Otti said although Uzodimma has the right to express his opinion as governor and in his personal capacity, he should not speak on behalf of every south-east governor.

“You said the governor of Imo state said something about re-electing the president. I am not sure I have heard that. But if he said that, it is his right to say it as a governor and as an individual. But he can’t speak for everybody,” Otti said.

“I’m sure that at the appropriate time, people would take their decision. I think it’s still early days.”

Otti, however, reiterated his long-standing support for some of the federal government’s economic policies, including the removal of petrol subsidy, saying his position on the issues predates his election as governor.

“Am I against the president running for a second term? Absolutely no. It’s the masses of the people that would determine,” he said.

“He has the right to run for a second term. And others who also want to run have a right to run. At the end of the day, it’s the ballot box, you and I, that will determine what happens.”

The Labour Party (LP) governor added that while his party would support its own presidential candidate in the next election, it would not stop anyone from exercising their constitutional right to contest.

“My party is Labour Party and it has its own presidential and vice presidential candidate. To the extent that we have candidates, we will support them. But that doesn’t mean we would go and pick quarrel with everybody,” he said.

Otti has repeatedly voiced his approval of Tinubu’s economic policies, recently describing them as “courageous”.

Three of the south-east governors — Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, Uzodimma of Imo, and Peter Mbah of Enugu — are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Otti belongs to LP and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra recently secured his second term on the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform. (TheCable)