Abia tells Sowore to ‘retreat’ after criticizing Otti

The Abia State Government has rebuked former AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore over his recent criticism of Governor Alex Otti, saying he “miscalculated” and should “beat a wise retreat.”

Sowore, who visited Aba to protest for the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, had described Otti’s administration as a “failure” practising “half transformation.”

In response, the government, through Media Adviser Ferdinand Ekeoma, dismissed the allegations as “false and reckless,” noting they sparked widespread backlash.

“We ignored him at first, but his repeated distortions made a response necessary,” the statement said.

The government denied claims of close ties between Sowore and Otti and refuted allegations that the governor used his platform to attack others. It also questioned Sowore’s motives, asking why he chose Aba over Umuahia or Sokoto, and why his attack focused on the governor instead of the protest’s intended message.

Addressing claims of sponsored support, the statement said Otti enjoys “organic support,” not paid influence. “Otti has never claimed total transformation, but the progress is evident,” it added.

Warning against “arrogance and false superiority,” the government said Sowore had “clearly targeted the wrong person.”