The governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti, has insisted that he will retire from active politics after completing his tenure.
According to him, he has no presidential, vice-presidential, or senatorial ambition thereafter.
Otti made this statement on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia, while reacting to a viral video in which someone berated him over his recent visit to Nnamdi Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, alleging that he was nursing presidential or vice-presidential ambitions after the end of his tenure.
The governor, while acknowledging that divergence of opinion is part of democracy, said everyone is free to hold an opinion and that such opinions may not necessarily be right.
“In the first place, that is the beauty of democracy. So people should hold their opinions, and we respect people’s opinions. And the fact that you hold a different opinion does not mean you are right.
“One of the things he talked about was my ambition after being governor, and I have said it before, and I want to say it again, that by the time I am done with governorship, I will retire. So I do not have presidential ambition, nor vice-presidential ambition. I also do not have senatorial ambition when I finish with the governorship.
“I came on a mission, and when I deliver that mission, I will give way for younger people. So he was talking of the Igbo presidency. I do not even understand what that means. So I think if his thesis is based on that assumption, the assumption has collapsed, because he will not see me on the ballot,” the governor stated.