Alex Otti is the Governor of Abia State and the only Labour Party governor in Nigeria. A career banker who led Diamond Bank, he won the governorship at his third attempt in 2023, ending the PDP’s 24-year hold on the state.1
Early life and education
Otti was born on 18 February 1965 and comes from Isiala Ngwa South. He graduated in economics with first-class honours from the University of Port Harcourt in 1988 and took an MBA at the University of Lagos in 1994.1
Banking career
He began his career in 1989 at Nigerian International Bank, a Citibank subsidiary, and worked at several other banks before joining First Bank in 2001, where he became an executive director. In 2011 he became Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank, and he retired in October 2014 to enter politics.1
Earlier governorship bids
Otti ran for governor in 2015 for APGA. In December 2015 the Court of Appeal declared him the winner, but in February 2016 the Supreme Court restored the PDP’s Okezie Ikpeazu.1 He later spent time in the APC before joining the Labour Party in May 2022.1
Governor (2023–present)
Otti won the 2023 election on the Labour Party ticket, riding the wave of support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and defeated the PDP’s Okey Ahiwe.1
His government has concentrated on roads in Aba and Umuahia, including roads that had been impassable for years, together with hospital renovations, waste clearance and payroll verification. He promised to pay salaries by the 28th of each month and says he has governed without new loans.2 Critics initially questioned his decision to work from his private residence rather than the Government House, which he said saved money, and security in parts of the state remained a concern.2
Politics and 2027
Otti has stayed in the Labour Party despite pressure from the APC to defect, and the courts have given his faction control of the party’s structure. He has said he will not oppose President Tinubu’s re-election bid. He seeks a second term in the 6 February 2027 governorship election.34
Personal life
Otti is married to Priscilla Otti, and they have three children. He is a Seventh-day Adventist.1
