By BONIFACE AKARAH

A former senator and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emma Nwaka, has declared support for the re-election of Abia State Governor Alex Otti in 2027, despite being a member of the opposition party.

Nwaka, who represented Abia Central in the Third Republic Senate, made his position known in a statement titled "This Is My Stand", in which he also endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.

According to him, enquiries from supporters and political associates regarding his attendance at Labour Party events in Abia State made it necessary for him to publicly clarify his political position ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While reaffirming his membership of the APC, Nwaka said he was fully in support of Governor Otti completing a second four-year term, citing what he described as the governor's achievements in infrastructure development and governance.

"I am all for supporting Dr. Alex Otti to do a second term of four years as governor," Nwaka stated.

He argued that Otti's administration had brought unprecedented infrastructural development across the state and restored pride among Abians both at home and in the diaspora.

According to him, another four years under Otti would place Abia State on what he described as an irreversible path of economic growth and development.

Nwaka also cited projects and appointments in Isuikwuato Local Government Area as reasons for his support, saying the area had benefited more under the current administration than at any other time since the creation of the state.

"As a son of Isuikwuato, I can attest that Dr. Otti's administration has done so much for my local government than any other government since the creation of Abia State," he said.

The former senator further argued that allowing Otti to complete two terms would preserve the state's power rotation arrangement and create an opportunity for Abia North, particularly the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi axis, to legitimately seek the governorship in 2031.

He dismissed suggestions that his position was motivated by personal ambition, insisting that he had no intention of contesting the governorship election in 2031.

"For the avoidance of doubt, let me quickly be clear that I have no intention to run for governorship of Abia State in 2031," he said.

Nwaka, however, maintained his support for the APC at the national level, declaring that he would work for the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.

He credited the President with initiating economic reforms aimed at repositioning the country and argued that the benefits of those policies would become more visible over time.

"At the Federal level, I am working for the re-election of His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president," he stated.

The former lawmaker praised the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, describing both policies as necessary measures to address corruption and create a more predictable business environment.

He urged Nigerians to embrace constructive criticism rather than wholesale condemnation of government policies, arguing that governance should be viewed as a continuous process of adjustment and improvement.

"This is my stand," Nwaka declared.