Abia State Governor Alex Otti has explained the purpose of his recent visit to the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is serving a jail term in Sokoto.
Speaking on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia, during a visit from the leadership of the Abia Diaspora Commission and the medical team of the state’s Global Medical Mission 2025, Otti insisted that his trip to Kanu was not politically motivated.
The governor’s clarification comes amid a video circulating on social media in which a man criticised Otti’s visit. Addressing the concerns, Otti said his engagement with Kanu was aimed at promoting dialogue and peace.
“The video represents differing opinions, which are part of a democratic system. Disagreement does not automatically make one position right,” he said.
Otti also dismissed suggestions that the visit was linked to any future political ambition, reiterating that he has no plans to contest any election after his tenure as governor.
“One of the issues raised in the video was my ambition after serving as governor. I have said this before, in October, when we received representatives of the President, and I will say it again today: by the time I complete my tenure as governor, I will retire from public office,” Otti stated.