2027: Abia North Stakeholders Endorse Otti for Second Term, Cite Transformational Governance

 

A coalition of prominent stakeholders from Abia North Senatorial District, operating under the aegis of the Alliance for Good Governance in Abia State, has endorsed Governor Alex Otti for a second term in office, citing what it described as his outstanding performance across key sectors of governance.

 

 

The endorsement was announced at the end of the group’s inaugural meeting held on Saturday at the residence of renowned businessman and community leader, Chief Ebueme Ezikpe, in Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government Area.

 

 

 

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the spokesman of the group and former Secretary to the Abia State Government, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, said Governor Otti has demonstrated exemplary leadership and deserved re-election in 2027.

According to him, the gathering was convened to chart a course for sustaining good governance in the state, which he said was currently being exemplified by the Otti led administration.

 

Prof. Mkpa emphasised that the alliance comprised respected stakeholders and opinion leaders who were neither politicians nor beneficiaries of government patronage.

He noted that participants attended the meeting from all five local government areas in Abia North, including Bende, Ohafia, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi.

 

“Stakeholders, opinion moulders, non-politicians, not those who are seeking patronage from government but individuals who, by God’s grace, are self-made and seek absolutely nothing from government, rather to ensure that good governance which Governor Otti represents is perpetrated and perpetuated in Abia State.

 

 

“People came from all the local governments in Abia North — Bende, Ohafia, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi. People came in their numbers and you can see a cross-section of us here; it was very well attended”, he said.

The former SSG further commended the governor’s achievements in education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, security, transport and public administration.

 

“All the speakers (at the meeting) extolled the unquestionable transformative work being done today by our governor, Dr Alex Otti, in all sectors of the life of Abians, in education, infrastructure, health, agriculture, security, transport, public and civil service, among others.

“We all agreed that Abia has never had it so good. It was unanimously agreed that the governor has done so well and that his works speak for him and that he actually doesn’t need any more campaigns because the works he has done are speaking for him”, Prof. Mkpa stated.

 

He also disclosed that members of the alliance would mobilise residents to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and work towards ensuring that candidates of the governor’s political party emerge victorious in future legislative elections.

“We all agreed that we need to be focused and ensure that we mobilise our constituencies and request people to possess their voters’ cards because it’s not enough to say we support and on that day we are unable to vote.

 

“We all agreed that we must strive to return all the other people that will work with Governor Otti in the state and federal constituencies because he alone cannot do the work.

“We shall also strategise to ensure that the template for good governance that Governor Otti and his administration have initiated will not die when they leave office after eight years.

 

“That template must be sustained so that any other subsequent governor coming will be guided by the same template”, he added.

Also speaking, businessman and proprietor of Ahudiyannem Queens and Ahudiyannem Football Club, Dr Robert Onyeani, attributed his continued investments in Abia North to the improved road infrastructure delivered by the present administration.

 

Dr Onyeani, added that the stakeholders were united in their determination to secure the governor’s return in 2027 and support credible candidates who would sustain his developmental strides.

“He (Gov Otti) has done the road from Umuahia straight to Arochukwu. I can put my investments here. My two teams are based in Abiriba, my hotel is in Abiriba because of the good road network he has provided. So it is good that we give him all the support.

 

“We are going to do everything to make sure he comes back, not only coming back, but that he brings a credible candidate that will sustain what he has done’, he stated.

Contributing, the host of the meeting and renowned businessman, Chief Ebueme Ezikpe, while reflecting on the state’s past challenges, said that the current administration has marked a significant departure from previous experiences.

 

“For over a quarter of a century, Abia was in a mess. I was a businessman in Aba in those days before we all ran away for our dear lives”, he recalled.

 

Chief Ezikpe maintained that those in attendance were non-partisan stakeholders inspired solely by Governor Otti’s achievements and had no personal interests to pursue from government.

“We are not politicians. Not one single politician is here. Nobody here is seeking any political office. As a matter of fact, we don’t even need anything from the governor. We are happy as Abians that the governor has made a huge difference.

 

“Some politicians came, but we didn’t open the gate for them because we don’t want it to seem as if we are asking for anything. We just want to tell the world that this is a different government. We’ve never seen anything near this”, he said.

Among those in attendance were Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Ken Ahia and Umeh Kalu, as well as prominent stakeholders including Chief Ray Nkemdiri, Chief Johnson Chukwu, Chief Chris Ifesi, Chaka Obasi, Chief Okwodu Eguruonwu, Linear Nto Mbah and Chief James Ochunkwo.

 

 

 

 

Related