By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Umuahia, Nov. 1, 2026
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has warned his supporters against attacking opposition parties or obstructing their campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Otti gave the warning on Sunday during the formal flag off of the Labour Party (LP) Campaign for the 2027 General Election/ Interdenominational Church Service, at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the campaign is “Forward Ever, Backward Never”.
The governor urged his supporters to respect the rights of other political parties to campaign freely.
“You do not have my mandate to attack people or to stop people from campaigning. You have no such mandate from me,” he said.
The governor said that the opposition parties should be allowed to use public facilities, including the stadium, provided they apply, obtain the necessary approvals and make the required payments.
He also disclosed that security agencies had been directed to arrest and deal decisively with anyone attempting to obstruct any political group from conducting legitimate activities, including Labour Party members.
“I have since given a public directive, and I am repeating it here, that opposition parties should not be restricted from the use of public facilities, including the stadium,” he said.
Otti urged political parties to focus their campaigns on issues affecting the people, present their manifestos and avoid personal attacks.
He congratulated the opposition parties on the successful conclusion of their internal selection processes and wished their candidates well in their campaigns across the state.
The governor said that the beauty of democracy lay in the plurality of options available to the electorate, stressing that his administration would not tolerate political intimidation or obstruction of legitimate activities.
He also urged his supporters to work towards peaceful campaigns and ensure that the 2027 electoral process remained issue-based.
Otti further said that he was seeking re-election in 2027 to consolidate the achievements recorded by his administration in the last three years.
He said he and his running mate, Mr Ikechukwu Emetu, had presented themselves for another four-year mandate to deepen the state’s development across various sectors.
The governor identified three reasons for seeking re-election, including moving governance from rescue to consolidation, institutionalising excellence and accountability in public service, and repositioning the state for emerging economic opportunities.
Otti said that he would use the proposed second term to strengthen public institutions, deepen development and prepare a new generation of leaders to sustain the state’s progress.
Otti urged supporters to mobilise voters across the state to ensure victory for the Labour Party in the Feb. 6, 2027 governorship election.
In her speech, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Sen. Nenadi Usman, praised Otti’s performance in Abia, describing the state as a model of purposeful leadership and development.
Usman, represented by a member of the party’s National Working Committee, Mr Salisu Mohammed, said the large turnout at the rally demonstrated Abians’ confidence in the present administration and their support for his re-election.
“The whole country is looking up to our party to provide the credible platform that it represents for the salvation of Nigeria,” she said.
Usman expressed confidence that the 2027 general elections would usher in victories for the Labour Party, beginning with Abia and extending to other parts of the country.
The State Chairman of the Party, Chief Peter Azubuike, expressed confidence that the party would win the 2027 Governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
Azubuike said that Labour Party was mobilising members and supporters for a door-to-door campaign to secure votes across the state.
He urged party members to remain committed to the campaign, expressing confidence that the party would win all elective positions in the state.
In his address, the Director-General of the Abia Labour Party Campaign Council, Chief Agwu Agwu described the campaign theme as both a testimony to the Otti-led administration’s achievements and a mandate for greater performance.
Agwu urged campaign council members to uphold discipline, loyalty and commitment, and run issue-based campaigns anchored on the administration’s verifiable achievements.
In their separate remarks, the lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, and the Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Chief Emmanuel Emeruwa, said the massive turnout of residents showed that Labour Party enjoyed goodwill of the citizenry.
They urged the citizens to ensure that this turnout would translate to votes that would facilitate the victory of all the party’s candidates at the polls come 2027.
The Methodist Bishop of Umuahia, Dr Chibuzo Opoko, commended Otti’s administration for improvements in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare and security across Abia.
Opoko praised the governor’s environmental sanitation efforts and urged God to grant him another four-year term to consolidate his achievements.
In his homily, the General Overseer of Living Word Ministries, Mr Emma Okorie, described Otti as a visionary leader whose administration had transformed Abia through purposeful leadership and development initiatives.
Okorie said that the improved environmental sanitation had changed Abia’s former negative image, adding that he was now proud to identify with the state and urged the governor to keep up the good work.
The event featured the inauguration of Abia State Labour Party Advisory Campaign Council and the hand over of party flags to all candidates.
