I won't be a godfather, Abia voters will pick my successor -
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has publicly rejected the role of a political godfather, stating he will not influence his successor after his term ends in 2031. He emphasized the need for younger, better-trained leaders to take over and move away from the 'sit-tight' political culture.
Why it matters
This reflects a significant shift in Nigerian political rhetoric, challenging the traditional 'godfatherism' system that often dictates local governance.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says he does not want to be a political godfather and has assured that after his second tenure in 2031, his successor will be determined by Abia voters. Otti stated this at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Umuahia on Thursday when he formally received the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Dr Ngozika Gladys Johnson-Chukwunenye, into the party. Otti said, “What I can assure you is that by the time I am done, the person that will succeed me will be better than me. I don’t want to be a godfather. “I don’t tolerate godfathers. So, some of the people are making noise because they will tell you to do this, and I say I will not do it. Sometimes when I say no, they will go back and be digging for something.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in