December 20, 2025 | SUNTV Global Channel | News
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has dismissed claims that his recent visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was driven by political ambition, insisting the move was purely motivated by the need for peace, dialogue, and stability.
Governor Otti made the clarification on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia while receiving the leadership of the Abia Diaspora Commission alongside members of the state’s Global Medical Mission 2025 medical team.
His response followed a viral video circulating on social media in which critics accused him of engaging in political grandstanding by visiting Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Facility.
Addressing the allegations, Otti said his action had nothing to do with any future political plans, stressing that he had no ambition beyond his current role as governor.
“One of the issues raised in the video was about my ambition after serving as governor. I have said this before, and I will say it again today: by the time I complete my tenure as governor, I will retire from public office,” Otti stated.
The governor emphasized that peace and stability remain critical to the development of Abia State and the wider South-East region, adding that dialogue remains an essential tool for resolving lingering national and regional issues.
According to Otti, differing opinions are a natural feature of democracy, but leaders must always prioritize peace over politics, especially in sensitive matters affecting national unity.
SUNTV Global Channel recalls that on November 30, 2025, Governor Otti, accompanied by officials of the Sokoto State Government, visited Nnamdi Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre. Footage obtained at the time showed heavy security presence around the facility during the visit.
Kanu was convicted on November 21, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on seven counts brought against him by the Federal Government.
The court sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment on four counts, while he received additional jail terms of 20 years and five years on other charges. The prosecution was ruled to have successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Hours after the judgment, Kanu was transferred from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja to the Sokoto Correctional Facility, a move that sparked widespread controversy.
Reacting at the time, Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, condemned the transfer, describing it as an attempt to isolate his client from his family, legal team, and supporters.
Despite the public criticism surrounding his visit, Governor Otti maintained that dialogue and peace-building efforts must remain central to governance, insisting that his actions were guided solely by the interest of peace and stability, not political calculations.
