Politics

I Won’t Be A Godfather, I Don’t Tolerate Godfathers – Alex Otti

Published September 18, 2026 at 6:46 AM

Key Takeaways

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, said he will not impose any successor after his second tenure ends in 2031, insisting he will not be a godfather.
Otti spoke on Thursday in Umuahia while receiving former SDP governorship candidate, Ngozi Johnson-Chukwunenye, saying succession must pick the best person, not sit-tight politics.
The governor said his government is grooming young leaders through the Abia Leadership Academy, where over 1,080 youths aged 16 to 25 recently graduated.

The governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has vowed not to impose his successor on the state after serving his second tenure in 2031.

He said his successor would be better equipped to provide quality leadership to the people.

He stated that he does not tolerate godfathers and has no interest in being one.

Naija News reports that Otti spoke on Thursday in Umuahia while receiving a former Social Democratic Party Gubernatorial Candidate, Ngozi Johnson-Chukwunenye,

He said that leadership succession should be based on identifying the most suitable person for the job, rather than perpetuating a “sit-tight” culture.

Otti said: “The most important thing you can give a people is good governance.

“And once people test good governance, it will be very difficult for them to allow you to take them back.

“So, if you are afraid that we will go back to Egypt, it will never happen and what I can assure you is that, by the time I’m done, the person who will succeed me will be better than me.

“I don’t want to be a godfather, and I don’t tolerate godfathers.

“We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, who is the best person for this job and then all of us will agree, and we will campaign for him.

“He will win and we will take a back seat.”

The governor also reiterated his earlier stance that he would not seek another elective position after completing his second tenure.

He said his administration’s focus was to provide good governance and create an environment, where younger people could emerge as capable leaders.

“We should stop this sit-tight. It’s only you. It can’t be only you.

“There are smarter, more trained, better-trained, better-equipped younger people; our children. We need to give them opportunity,” he said.

Otti said that his administration was already preparing younger people to take over leadership responsibilities through various initiatives, including the Abia Leadership Academy.

He said that over 1,080 young people, between the ages of 16 and 25, had recently graduated from the academy.

“You will see how smart our children are. So, these are the people that will take over from us.

“And they are being trained now for tomorrow; so we can never go back,” he said.

Author:

Justina Otio

Justina is a passionate storyteller and avid reader. Beyond the newsroom, she's a strategic content marketer and lifelong learner who loves diving into topics far outside her field. Contact: [email protected]