Abia Government Warns Opposition Against Stoking Rift With President

The Abia State Government has cautioned opposition politicians to cease attempts to create a perceived rift between Governor Alex Otti and President Bola Tinubu for political advantage.

The warning was issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, following reports that some former governors in the All Progressives Congress were plotting to unseat the Labour Party administration before the 2027 elections.

Anokwuru criticized the opposition’s strategy of repeatedly invoking the President’s “Renewed Hope” agenda and name, rather than presenting policy-based criticism or their own past achievements. He described the tactic as a “forced enmity” designed to misrepresent the relationship between the governor and the president.

He emphasized that President Tinubu has shown consistent goodwill towards Governor Otti’s administration, which he described as one of the best-performing in the country.

The adviser stated that opposition loses credibility when it relies on federal proximity instead of constructive ideas and local legitimacy.

Anokwuru concluded that attempts to use the President’s name to gain leverage would not succeed, affirming that the friendship between Otti and Tinubu extends beyond politics.