Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dismissed as misleading and diversionary recent online reports suggesting he is against the creation of additional states within the South-East geopolitical zone.
The governor faced criticism from opposition figures after reports emerged claiming he opposed new state creation during a town hall meeting on the matter held in Owerri, Imo State, on Saturday.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti clarified that his stance on the issue remains clear and unambiguous, describing the publication as a deliberate misrepresentation aimed at stoking political tension.
According to Otti, ‘’My position over the years on the creation of additional states in Nigeria hasn’t changed and will not change.’’
The governor revealed that his position is that, the country doesn’t require additional states, especially when most of the already existing states lack the viability for economic self-sustainability.
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Otti noted that in his seminal works over the years, he had advocated a six regional structure for the country which would support his advocacy for reducing cost of governance.
The statement read, “Governor Otti maintains that since at the moment one geopolitical zone in the North has as much as 7 States, while others have 6 each except the SouthEast that has 5, there could be an additional state for the South East to balance the disequilibrium, but not the creation of new states across the six geopolitical zones
“It’s important to state that, Governor Otti is not a man that is easily swayed to the wrong side of the pendulum when a critical issue that requires deep thinking driven by altruism is on the table.
Governor Alex Otti has argued that true leadership is measured by impact rather than territorial fragmentation, citing the legacies of Eastern Nigeria’s past leaders. He referenced the likes of M.I. Okpara and Sam Mbakwe, noting that these statesmen governed expansive regions with large populations, yet delivered development milestones and prosperity still celebrated decades later.
He maintained that pushing for additional states, especially at a time when existing ones remain economically unsustainable, risks creating deeper divisions within the country. According to Otti, the priority should be on resolving Nigeria’s current economic crisis rather than expanding its administrative structures, which he warned could further strain national unity and stability.