Traders at Ariaria International Market in Aba, Abia State, have declared their support for Governor Alex Otti’s reelection bid in 2027, staging a reported one million man march to demonstrate their backing for his administration.
The traders reportedly shut their shops to participate in the mobilisation, expressing support for Otti and other Labour Party candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during the event, the market chairman, Polycarp Muojiuba, said traders and residents were encouraged by what he described as the governor’s developmental achievements, particularly in road infrastructure, healthcare and other sectors of the state’s economy.
Muojiuba said traders from different local government areas represented at the market had come together to express their appreciation for the administration and pledge their electoral support.
He described the mobilisation as an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with the governor, insisting that the traders intended to support Otti and other Labour Party candidates at the polls.
According to him, the traders’ endorsement reflects their satisfaction with the administration’s performance in Aba and other parts of Abia State.
Muojiuba also disclosed that traders registered approximately 7,000 new voters during the voter registration exercise, stressing that protecting their votes would be as important as participating in the election.
He further stated that the traders were committed to ensuring that their preferred candidates received their votes in 2027.
Similarly, the market’s vice chairman, Ufere Inyama, said the mobilisation was intended to communicate the traders’ political preference and assure the governor of their continued support.
Inyama maintained that the traders had no alternative candidate for the governorship election, echoing the rally’s central message that there was “no vacancy” in the Abia State Government House.
The demonstration underscores the growing political mobilisation around the 2027 governorship election in Abia State. However, the traders’ endorsement represents the position expressed by the participating group and does not, on its own, establish the wider electorate’s preference.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
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