Abia State Governor Alex Otti has openly moved his political mobilisation drive into the church, urging pastors and church leaders to turn their pulpits into voter registration centres and campaign hubs for the next general election.

Speaking at the Assemblies of God Church, 123 Tenant Road, Aba, during the 28th anniversary of the Zam Jehovah Nights programme themed “Breaking Barriers,” Otti used the religious gathering to press home a clear political message: Christians must register, collect their PVCs and show up at the polls to secure his reforms and projects.

The governor warned that the next general election is fast approaching and insisted that Christians can no longer “remain indifferent” to politics and governance, framing voting as the only reliable weapon to protect what he called the “progress already recorded” in Abia under his watch.

Playing up his religious credentials, Otti reminded the congregation that he is “the son of a pastor” and argued that the old church stance of staying away from politics is no longer acceptable. He declared that power belongs to God but quickly added that believers must not abandon the political space to those who do not share their values, effectively calling for a faith-based political bloc.

He urged all worshippers who have not registered to rush for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration and pressed pastors to actively deploy their pulpits, church structures and influence to sensitise members on getting their Permanent Voter Cards and turning out en masse on election day.

Otti expressed worry that many residents of Aba are still unregistered and accused registered voters of routinely staying away from polling units. He made it clear that only a massive voter turnout in future elections can guarantee continuity of his reforms and infrastructure projects, tying the fate of the state’s development directly to his political survival.

In a show of open alignment, the Senior Pastor, Rev Dr Ogboso Ejindu, publicly endorsed Otti’s style of governance, hailing him as a progressive and hardworking leader who is “breaking barriers” in Abia. Ejindu linked the church’s “Breaking Barriers” theme to the governor’s policies and defended the administration’s urban renewal efforts, brushing aside critics who have dismissed some of the projects as mere repainting.

The church went further, presenting Otti with a sculptured white horse, said to symbolise strength, glory, consistency and excellence, a gesture that will fuel debate over how far religious institutions should go in celebrating sitting politicians.

The event ended with special prayers for the governor, his team and the state, as top government officials, including the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Ihuoma Emeruwa, and other key aides, turned the church anniversary into a high-profile political and religious showcase.