Political tensions are rising in Abia State ahead of the 2027 general election, as opposition figures, including former governors, intensify efforts to prevent Governor Alex Otti from securing a second term.
Two former governors, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Theodore Orji, recently announced an alliance aimed at unseating Otti and reclaiming Abia for the All Progressives Congress (APC). The group, formed after a meeting in Umuahia, said it plans to win all elective positions in the state and may challenge Otti legally over claims he governs from his country home rather than the Government House.
Kalu said the alliance, dubbed “The Team,” brings together experienced leaders seeking to reassert their relevance. He rejected claims that previous administrations failed the state, describing leadership as a continuum. “No single individual can claim we achieved nothing,” he said.
The Abia North senator has also criticised Otti’s performance, accusing him of failing to match rising federal allocations with tangible projects. “He is just repainting and rebuilding the roads I built,” Kalu said, adding that he would not support Otti’s re-election despite backing him in 2023.
Otti’s administration has dismissed the opposition’s moves as politically motivated. His Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, described the plot as “chasing shadows,” arguing that former leaders with controversial legacies lack the moral standing to challenge the current government.
Public affairs analyst Nduka Odo said the alliance reflects the protection of entrenched political and economic interests rather than concern for governance. He noted that Otti broke with past tradition by emerging without his predecessor’s backing and by abolishing salaries and allowances for former governors and deputies—benefits enjoyed in many states. “That decision alone is enough reason for them to team up against him,” Odo said.
Civil society voices have also weighed in. President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, Olu Omotayo, said Otti’s performance is visible to residents and contrasts sharply with past administrations. “Development does not need propaganda; the people testify to it,” he said, while warning that economic hardship could still influence voter behaviour.
Similarly, Onyebuchi Igboke, Convener of the Office of the Citizens, described the dispute as a clash between performance-based governance and patronage politics. He argued that Otti’s record in just over two years outweighs the combined achievements of his predecessors and that attempts to discredit him would fail.
As the 2027 race approaches, Abia’s political landscape appears set for a fierce contest, with former power brokers seeking a comeback and the incumbent relying on his record to win public support.
