Abia State Government's carefully worded response neither endorsed nor rejected Mr Wike's claim, leaving open the question of whether Mr Otti's increasingly close engagement with the presidency will translate into an open endorsement of Mr Tinubu in 2027.
The political equation in Abia State ahead of the 2027 elections has taken a fresh turn after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike said Governor Alex Otti is backing President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, prompting the Abia State Government to acknowledge the governor's close relationship with the president but stop short of confirming his support.
Okey Kanu, Abia commissioner for information, told PREMIUM TIMES that while Mr Otti's relationship with Mr Tinubu is "very cordial," any definitive declaration on the president's 2027 ambition would have to come from the governor himself.
"At an appropriate time, such confirmation would come from my governor," Mr Kanu said.
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Abia State Government's carefully worded response neither endorsed nor rejected Mr Wike's claim, leaving open the question of whether Mr Otti's increasingly close engagement with the presidency will translate into an open endorsement of Mr Tinubu in 2027.
Mr Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, during an interview on Arise Television's Prime Time on Tuesday, while defending his Rainbow Coalition's mobilisation for Mr Tinubu, argued that supporting Mr Tinubu for president does not mean politicians must support the APC or abandon candidates of their parties in other elections.
"Alex Otti is supporting the president; by what he said, does it mean that the Labour Party will not field candidates for the National Assembly election?" Mr Wike asked.
His statement places Mr Otti among the non-APC governors whose relationship with Mr Tinubu has become part of the political calculations ahead of 2027.
Mr Wike has repeatedly said his coalition is focused specifically on securing Mr Tinubu's re-election and is not intended to prevent other parties from fielding candidates in governorship and legislative elections.
'Confirmation will come at appropriate time'
Asked by PREMIUM TIMES whether Mr Otti was indeed backing Mr Tinubu, Mr Kanu declined to give a direct confirmation.
Instead, he emphasised the "very cordial" relationship between the governor and the president.
"At an appropriate time, such confirmation would come from my governor," the commissioner said.
He argued that there was little basis for questioning the relationship between Mr Otti and Mr Tinubu, pointing to the governor's dealings with the federal government and the recent visit of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to Abia.
During the visit to Akwete in Ukwa East Local Government Area, Mrs Tinubu announced a N2 billion intervention for Akwete Cooperative Women.
According to Mr Kanu, the programme was facilitated by the Abia government and was evidence of the relationship between Mr Otti and the presidency.
"All those things were packaged by my governor. It is not just the president; his wife (First Lady) will come to the state and do what she did; you can imagine the relationship the governor has with the president.
"Actions speak louder than words," he said, adding that Mr Otti's actions should indicate to the president where the governor stands regarding the president's political ambition.
The commissioner also recalled that when some APC politicians accused Mr Otti of opposing Mr Tinubu's re-election, the governor said he had nothing against the president and acknowledged Mr Tinubu's constitutional right to seek another term.
Mr Kanu, however, maintained that an explicit declaration of support for Mr Tinubu had not come from the governor.
That distinction is important.
Mr Otti won the 2023 Abia governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party and has continued to identify with the party. The Abia government also previously dismissed reports that the governor had defected to the APC, with Mr Kanu describing such reports as fabricated and saying Mr Otti remained a "committed and proud member" of the Labour Party.
Otti's political balancing act
The latest exchange comes against the backdrop of increasing speculation over Mr Otti's political calculations ahead of 2027.
While the governor has maintained cordial relations with Mr Tinubu and the federal government, he has not publicly endorsed the president's re-election in the manner some governors, including Anambra's Charles Soludo and Osun's Ademola Adeleke, have done.
That has left his political position open to interpretation.
Mr Wike's latest statement raises a question that Mr Kanu's response does not completely settle: whether Mr Otti's cordial relationship with Mr Tinubu will eventually translate into an open endorsement of the president in 2027.
Kalu's apparent U-turn adds intrigue
The uncertainty is occurring alongside changing political positions among some Abia politicians.
Abia North Senator Orji Kalu had previously declared that he would work to ensure that the APC takes control of Abia in 2027.
Mr Otti responded by saying he had never asked Mr Kalu to support his re-election and accused the senator of repeatedly making statements about replacing his administration. The governor also vowed to support the Labour Party's eventual candidate against Mr Kalu in the 2027 Senate election.
However, Mr Kalu subsequently appeared to soften his position.
During a Channels Television interview, he was asked whether Mr Tinubu could win Abia while Mr Otti remained governor. He answered in the affirmative.
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Asked whether Mr Otti would return for a second term, Mr Kalu again answered "Yes".
The position was striking because it contrasted with his earlier campaign to deliver Abia to the APC in 2027.
Another APC federal lawmaker from the state, Chris Nkwonta, also reportedly expressed support for Mr Otti's re-election during the First Lady's visit to Akwete, according to Vanguard Newspaper.
The statements triggered an internal reaction from the Abia APC, which issued a 14-day ultimatum to Mr Kalu and Mr Nkwonta to apologise or face sanctions. The party subsequently pardoned Mr Kalu and other members accused of anti-party activities following its primary election and reconciliation process.
The developments underscore the flexibility of political alliances in Abia ahead of 2027.
For now, Mr Wike has publicly put Mr Otti in the camp of politicians supporting Mr Tinubu.
Mr Kanu, however, has neither endorsed nor rejected the claim outright.
Instead, he says Mr Otti has a "very cordial" relationship with the president and that any definitive declaration on the 2027 presidential contest will come from the governor himself.
Until that declaration is made, Mr Wike's assertion remains a political claim rather than a publicly confirmed endorsement by Mr Otti.
