Otti to Uzodimma: You Can't Speak for All South-East Governors on Tinubu

Otti to Uzodimma: You Can't Speak for All South-East Governors on Tinubu

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.

Source: Otti to Uzodimma: You Can't Speak for All South-East Governors on Tinubu

 - NigerianEye
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