Clergymen and the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Abia State Chapter, have advised Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, not to quit politics after completing his second term in office by 2031.
Governor Otti had, in several fora, made public his decision to quit active politics after his tenure in office as the State Governor.
The leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Abia State chapter gave the advice to the Governor through her immediate past State Chairman, Archbishop, Dr. Chikezie Elekwa, who led the group to a courtesy call to Governor Alex Otti, in his office on Tuesday, February 17th.
Archbishop Elekwa said that they heard he said that he was quitting politics after his tenure and pleaded that he should not quit, but allow the people to decide.
“Some time ago, we heard you said that after your second term, you would leave politics. Please, Your Excellency, don’t just decide on that.
“Let the public, let the people decide it, please. Because you can’t just show yourself before us for only eight years and you disappear.
“Please, let it go public and let the people decide on what happens next, please,” Archbishop Elekwa stated.
Archbishop Elekwa said that the Governor does not need to bother himself in campaigning for the 2027 elections, as the PFN is doing that for him already.
“Come next year, Your Excellency, you don’t need any campaign anywhere. The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, we are already mobilising our people from the grassroots.
“This body has people across the State in every local government and in every ward. And, we assure you of the votes of PFN.
“We are Christians. Before you came on board, Your Excellency, we knew that spiritual darkness covered the State. To the extent that the ‘Mami Water’ at the Omenuko Bridge could not allow them to build that bridge. But the moment you appeared, the ‘Mami Water’ disappeared. So, today, we are proud of our State.
“We are proud of our State. Wherever we go, we are proud to tell people that we are from Abia State. Your Excellency, you don’t know what you have done for Abians,” Archbishop Elekwa stated.
He pledged the full support of the Church to the administration.
“Every support you will need, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria will give it to you. So, that is what the new Exco is here to let you know. That while I and the past Exco step out, this new one will carry on.
“Abians will never go back to darkness. This light that God has introduced through you will keep shining brighter by the day. In the name of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Elekwa declared.
Archbishop Elekwa, on behalf of the PFN, thanked God for using Governor Otti to deliver the State and appreciated the Governor for joining politics in order to save Abia from bad leadership.
“We want to sincerely thank God for your life. For everything God has used you to do in our State.
“We’ve never had it this good. We’ve never dreamt of it. In fact, to some of us, it’s like we are dreaming.
“So, we want to sincerely appreciate the Almighty God for all He is doing through your life. You are answered in prayer. Abians cried, Abians prayed, and God answered that prayer by giving us a gift in your person.
“We don’t take it for granted. We want to thank you for making yourself available. Thank you very much, Your Excellency,” Archbishop Elekwa stated.
He informed the Governor that the new State Chairman, Bishop Dr. Newlife Ugochukwu, was indisposed, hence, was not physically present, and assured him of the support of PFN to his administration.
Responding, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, thanked the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Abia State Chapter, for their consistent prayers, support, and encouragement, acknowledging the significant role the Christian body played in his emergence.
“It is important to put it on record that PFN supported this movement from the beginning, in 2015, in 2019, and again in 2023,
“The Church stood firm, together with other fathers of faith; you were resolute. We do not take that for granted.” Gov, Otti stated.
The Governor emphasised that the core mission of his administration remains the restoration of the dignity of the people and the rewriting of Abia’s story, stressing that governance is a collective effort.
“No one can do it alone,” he noted, giving credit to members of his team for their contributions to the transformation being witnessed across the State.
Governor Otti also reflected on the need for people of faith to actively engage in governance, observing that in the past, many who maintained strong relationships with God distanced themselves from politics.
“For a long time, politics was seen as something meant for a certain kind of people.
“Many who believed in God stayed away, and the State was handed over to those who either did not believe or only pretended to believe. This is the time to hand the State back to God.” Gov, Otti said.
While acknowledging the advice for him to remain active in politics beyond his current tenure, Governor Otti maintained that leadership decisions must align with divine direction.
“As humans, we may have our own thoughts about when to step aside. But ultimately, we cannot speak when the Lord has not spoken,” The Governor added.
Present at the meeting were the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Pastor Eno Jerry Eze, the SSA on Religious Matters, Apostle Kenneth Wiper, Director General, Strategic Communication Bureau, Barr. Onyebuchi Ememanka and other top Government officials.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
February 17th, 2026.
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