- Abia State Governor Alex Otti has warned those suspected of planning to rig the 2027 elections to “write their own will”, stressing that no one can intimidate the people or subvert their mandate. He also warned against launching campaigning too early, reminding politicians to wait for INEC’s official timetable.
Abia State Governor Alex Oti has issued a stern warning to political actors suspected of conspiring to rig the 2027 governorship election, urging them to “write their will” before trying to subvert the will of the people.
The governor, during his monthly media talk in Umuahia, said he had received plans from some people “Take over the country”tthrough illegal means. He vowed that such attempts would be strongly resisted by the people of Abia.
“If they have to write down the outcome, they should write something else before that – their wishes,” Oti declared. “Because this is our country; no one can intimidate us.”
The governor also warned politicians against premature campaigning, stressing that it violated electoral laws. He reminded aspirants that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the authority to publish the campaign schedule.
“If you start campaigning before then, you’re putting yourself at risk – you could even be disqualified,” he said.
Oti said holding political rallies or publicly announcing ambitions ahead of the official INEC schedule amounted to early campaigning.
“When you rally people and say you’re going to take over the country in 2027, you’re campaigning. That’s not right,” he warned.
Governor Oti, who was elected in 2023 under the Labor Party, reiterated his commitment to a transparent and fair electoral process in Abia State. He insisted that the people would have the final say in choosing the next leader.
“Once INEC blows the whistle, anyone can run; it is up to the people of Abia to decide who will be their governor.” he concluded.
