A civil society organization, the Southeast Good Governance Advocates (SGGA), has criticized the Abia State Government for attempting to downplay what it described as a “reckless and dangerous threat” made by Governor Alex Otti during his October 2025 media chat.
The group’s reaction followed a clarification issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who sought to defend the governor’s comments.
DON'T MISS
During the media chat, Governor Otti, while responding to a political statement by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member representing Bende Federal Constituency, was quoted as saying that critics and political opponents should “write their will first before writing election results.”
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Maxwell Adindu, the Southeast Good Governance Advocates condemned both the comment and the government’s subsequent clarification, insisting that the governor’s words amounted to “an outright threat” and “a clear incitement to violence and intimidation.”
“Our attention has been drawn to the purported clarification made by the Commissioner for Information of Abia State, Prince Okey Kanu, on the outright threats dished out by Governor Alex Otti during his October 2025 edition media chat,” the group stated.
“It will be recalled that the governor, apparently responding to the declaration by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member representing Bende Federal Constituency of the State that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), will win the State in the 2027 election, threatened his critics and political opponents with death by asking them to ‘write their will first before writing election results.’”
According to SGGA, the subsequent clarification issued by the state government was not only “unconvincing” but also “failed to acknowledge the governor’s reckless remarks.
“We are appalled by the Abia State government’s attempt to clarify Governor Otti’s egregious threat to Abians,” the statement read. “The Commissioner’s clarification is unconvincing and fails to acknowledge the governor’s reckless remarks.”
The group maintained that “Governor Otti’s statement that critics should ‘write their will before writing election results’ is unacceptable and condemnable.” It added that “it’s a clear incitement to violence and intimidation, and we reject any attempt to downplay its implications.”
Adindu, speaking for the group, said the state government should take full responsibility for the governor’s comment, rather than trying to rationalize it. “We insist that Governor Otti was wrong in his remarks, and the government should take full responsibility for it. Instead of issuing a feeble clarification, the government should focus on guaranteeing a free, fair, and violence-free election.”
He further noted that Nigeria already operates within a legal framework that provides for punishment of electoral offenders, emphasizing that “it is out of place and a serious issue for a governor to threaten those he perceived as political enemies to scare them.
“The people of Abia deserve better than a governor who uses threatening language to silence opposition,” the statement continued. “The people will not be intimidated by reckless rhetoric. We call on the relevant authorities to take decisive action to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and protect the rights of all stakeholders.”
SGGA urged the Abia State Government to “prioritize the rule of law, ensuring that electoral authorities can function without intimidation or interference,” warning that “anything less undermines democracy and the will of the people.”
