Abia Governor Says Younger Nigerians Must Take Over Leadership as He Rules Out Senate Ambition
Otti Promises to Take a Back Seat After His Tenure and Says Abians Should Choose Their Next Leader
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has announced that he intends to retire from active politics after completing his tenure, saying he wants younger Nigerians to have the opportunity to take over leadership.
Otti made the declaration on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, while speaking about governance, leadership succession and the future of the state.
The governor also ruled out pursuing another elective position after leaving office, including a possible bid for the Senate.
“Once I finish this one, I will retire. Why do I say so? I want the young people to take over,” Otti said.
The statement effectively sets his planned exit from active politics at the end of his second governorship tenure in 2031, according to reports on his remarks.
WHY Otti Says He Wants to Step Aside
Otti said his decision was influenced by his belief that political leadership should not remain concentrated in the hands of the same individuals indefinitely.
He argued that younger Nigerians are increasingly better trained, educated and equipped to take responsibility for governance.
“We should stop this sit-tight; it’s only you. Not only you, it also can’t be only you. There are smarter, more trained, better trained, better equipped younger people. Our children, we need to give them opportunities,” he said.
For Otti, the issue is not simply about leaving political office but creating room for a new generation to participate meaningfully in leadership.
The governor’s remarks come at a time when questions surrounding political succession and the continued influence of former office holders remain prominent in Nigeria’s political discourse.
‘I DON’T WANT TO BE A GODFATHER’
Beyond announcing his planned retirement, Otti also rejected the idea of remaining behind the scenes as a political godfather after leaving office.
“I don’t want to be a godfather. And I don’t tolerate godfathers,” he declared.
He said he would rather see the people consider the available candidates and determine who is best suited to succeed him.
According to Otti, he does not intend to impose a successor or dictate who should occupy the Government House after his administration.
“We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, who is the best person for this job? And all of us will agree, and we will campaign for him; he will win. We will take a back seat,” he said.
Otti Rules Out Senate Ambition
The governor was also emphatic that leaving the governorship would not be followed by a move to the National Assembly.
“I keep saying it, I’m not interested in anything else. I don’t even want to go to the Senate. I’m not interested,” he said.
His statement therefore rules out, based on his current position, a possible attempt to transition from the Abia governorship to the Senate after his tenure.
Reports have noted that Otti has previously expressed similar views about not pursuing another political office after completing his governorship.
‘THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN GIVE A PEOPLE IS GOOD GOVERNANCE’
Otti also used the occasion to emphasise what he considers the central responsibility of political leadership.
“The most important thing you can give a people is good governance,” he said.
He argued that when citizens experience effective governance, they become less willing to accept a return to what he described as the “old order.”
“So, if you are afraid that we will go back to Egypt, it will never happen,” Otti said.
He said the person who eventually succeeds him should be capable of building on what his administration has achieved.
In another part of his remarks, Otti said: “What I can assure you is that by the time I’m done, the person who will succeed me will be better than me.”
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR ABIA’S POLITICAL SUCCESSION
Otti’s declaration places the question of succession firmly on the political agenda in Abia, although the governor did not name a preferred successor in the remarks reported.
Instead, he said the process should involve assessing the available candidates and determining who is most suitable for the job.
His position also distinguishes between supporting a candidate and remaining in politics as a power broker after leaving office.
Otti said that after the process of choosing a successor, he and his political allies would “take a back seat.”
The governor’s comments were made while receiving former Social Democratic Party governorship candidate Ngozika Gladys Johnson-Chukwunenye and her supporters into the Labour Party in Umuahia.
A CALL FOR YOUNGER LEADERS
Otti’s remarks ultimately centred on generational transition.
He said political leaders should recognise that younger Nigerians have the skills and training necessary to contribute to governance and should therefore be given opportunities to lead.
His position is that political leadership should not become a permanent occupation for a select group of individuals.
As his administration continues its current mandate, Otti says his focus remains on completing his tenure and creating conditions for a successor to continue from where his government stops.
For now, the governor has publicly stated that he does not intend to seek another political office after completing his tenure in 2031.
Whether that position remains unchanged over the coming years will ultimately be determined by Otti himself, but his latest remarks provide a clear account of his stated political plans: complete his tenure, step away from active politics and make room for younger Nigerians.
About the Author
