Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has expressed confidence that the 2027 governorship election in the state will be smoother than the 2023 polls.

Speaking at the 2025 Aro Day celebration in Arochukwu Local Government Area on Saturday, Otti noted that while the election is still some years away, many political actors have already begun positioning themselves prematurely.

“The 2027 election is still far off, yet a lot of people have started killing themselves before it comes,” Otti said.

The governor stressed that his administration remains focused on delivering good governance rather than being distracted by the next election. He attributed his optimism for 2027 to tangible achievements recorded since assuming office, unlike in 2023 when he had only campaign promises.

“Just like in 2023, I assure you 2027 will be even smoother. We are not worried because we have a mandate to serve our people for four years. We’ve completed 30 months, so there is still much to be done. In 2023, we were selling promises, but now there are concrete achievements we can point to,” he added.

Otti, the only sitting governor elected on the Labour Party (LP) platform, had defeated his closest rival, Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 election, polling 175,467 votes to Ahiwe’s 88,529.

The governor’s remarks come amid growing political maneuvering across Abia, as parties begin early preparations for the 2027 polls.