Gov Alex Otti delivers democratic dividends to Abians despite pockets of opposition.
By: Sam Obinna Ibe
Umuahia.
In recent times, Dr Alex Chioma Otti labour party led government has come under heavy attack by the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party in the state
But alas, rather than being distracted, Abia Governor is on course, not moved by the antics of opposition elements in his avowed commitment to deliver dividends of democracy to Abians and residents alike.
Satisfied with the performance of Abia Governor,Dr Alex Chioma Otti within fourteen months in office,scores of Abians have called for a ceasefire on needless attack noting that he has done so well within the months under review and should be commended rather than distracting him.
Critical stakeholders have cautioned that even though criticisms is one of the ingredients that oils the wheel of democracy that it should be done constructively rather than dwelling on destructive criticisms.
Like a cat with nine lives, Gov Alex Otti is not even bothered but has remained focus in his determination to restore Abia of our dreams in line with his campaign promises.
Irked by the sorry state of things in Abia in facets of the state economy some years ago, the state became a laughing stock in the comity of all others states in the federation,Abians living within and outside the country were ashamed to identified themselves when stories of poor infrastructural decays,bad governance were mentioned.
Without mincing words,
Abians were not happy with the pace of development in the state in comparison with others created the same time with us in the federation,hence looked forward to the general election of 2023 in order to use their franchise to elect a leadership of their dream which eventually came to fruition through the victory of Dr Alex Chioma Otti of the labour party.
It is interesting to note that before Dr Alex Otti came on board, Abia was on the wrong side of history,the state was awash with stories of workers complaining bitterly over backlog of salaries and allowances owed them, similarly ,pensioners were in the streets of Umuahia,month in month out protesting over non payment of pension arrears and their gratuities.
Infrastructure was in ruins, insecurity reigns supreme especially at Umunneochi local government where armed robbers and kidnappers held innocent citizens hostage in the state with the climax, been the kidnapped of immediate past Prelate of Methodist church Nigeria,His Eminence Dr Samuel Chukwuemeka Kalu Uche at Umunneochi axis,other societal vices and violent crimes which were parts of negative factors that gave the state a bad name to mention but a few.
Observers who spoke to this Reporter said that Abia State during the past administrations was unable to provide workable solutions that would take the state out of the woods while the greater majority of the people wallows in abject poverty and want.
Speaking in an interview,Chief Reuben Obioma ,an Umuahia based business man told our Correspondent that comparing the administration of Dr Alex Chioma Otti led labour party within fourteen months in office and that of Gov Okezie Ikpeazu’s eight years in office of PDP is like comparing light with darkness.
Chief Obioma emphatically stated that,you can’t compare the two Governments , Otti’s government even though less than two years in office towers above Ikpeazu’s inglorious eight years reign as a former Governor.
As for a civil servant who did not want his name in print said Abians have not had it so good until Dr Alex Chioma Otti, God sent messiah came on board to rescue the people from the wickedness of the past governments.
He added that for the past 24 years,Abia state was held by jugular by the immediate past administrations,workers and pensioners had tale of unpleasant stories to tell, adding that the story is today different, courtesy of people oriented leadership of the performing governor of Abia State,Dr Alex Otti.
“Umuahia, the state capital was abandon, looked like a glorified village prior to the coming on board of His Excellency , Governor Alex Otti labour party led Government.
Security situation was not something to write home about especially in the Abia North axis of the state”,he noted.
In the same vein,appreciating the expansion of old Ossah – Abia Tower Mission Hill road by governor Alex Otti,Mrs Comfort. Obiakaraije revealed that God answered Abia people’s prayers by giving us a visionary governor.
” Look at the state of
Infrastructure in Umuahia ,it was in total state of decay with no attempt made to give the ancient city a facelift as the state capital,look at the commercial nerve centre of Aba was dirty as then Abia State Environmental Protection Agency,Asepa headships were said to be busy amassing personal wealth rather than carting away refuse dumps in all the major cities of the state which stinks and was an eyesore within the years under review of the past government.”
Other critical areas adversely affected was in the educational sector which was in shambles as many of the public primary and secondary schools buildings were in bad shapes begging for attention, as the situation then continued to be worsened, Abians yearned for a change, Abians cried for a saviour to come over to God’s own state to bail us out.
Again, the health sector did also not fared any better as many of the primary and secondary health care centres were not even qualified to answer mere consulting rooms but they were nothing absolutely on ground to encourage anyone to take his loved ones to such deplorable health care centres.
All these and other poor infrastructural deficits may have prompted Dr Alex Otti,an Abia born Ex- University of Port Harcourt First Class Graduate of Economist to have thrown his hat into the ring to see how he could assist to salvage many years of maladministration in the state.
With coming on board of Dr Alex Otti as the fifth Executive of Governor,like the popular advertisement slogan,”things are indeed looking up as he came with vast experiences garnered in the banking sector and as administration guru. He has shown to all and sundry that he is a governor in a class of his own,he is a governor with a midas touch, a role model governor that has become a reference point in terms performance.
Happy to have him on board at a time it mattered most in the lives of the people,abians have
been commending him for restoring the hopes of the citizenry through purposeful leadership within the shortest possible time he has been on the saddle.
Indeed,Abia Governor is said to have kept his electioneering campaign promises to the letter through well articulated programmes and policies that have direct bearings to the common man in the state.
It could be recalled that in his inaugural speech,Gov Otti pleaded and said”, Abians should cry no more,that help is indeed here with them, this assurance was against the backdrop of the state of helpless and hopeless situation the people found themselves going by the complain galores experienced in the hands of the previous administrations.
True to type, shortly after the swearing in ceremony on 29th May,2023,His Excellency swung into action,declared state of emergency in the education,health,trade and investment, security sectors etc, interestingly enough,these critical areas of governance are receiving priority attention within the one year and three months Governor Alex Otti took over the leadership in Abia State.
To achieve these transformative feats, “Chioma Ndi Abia” as the governor is popularly called appointed technocrats into his cabinet that would assist him deliver on the core mandates dear to him, the vision and mission statements which his government should be identified with,testimonies are abound from Abians who are praising the giant strides recorded so far by the administration of the ex- banker turned number one citizen of Abia State.
Indeed,it has been praises galore from different segments of larger society. Abians at home, those living within the country, those in diaspora; Abia residents, people from other states in the country, including eminent personalities in the countries of the world,all are in one accord that the Nvosi Isiala Ngwa South born visionary governor has done exceeding well ; they cannot stop singing his praises that “Daniel has finally come to judgement” that era of bad governance is gone ,that now Abians have a truly Governor who is after their hearts, a governor is truly determined to work for the people,they chorused.
But alas,inspite of efforts made by His Excellency to turn around the fortunes of the state through prompt and regular payment of workers salaries and pensions, through massive infrastructural developments, through restoration of security situation especially at Umunneochi area of Abia North where armed robbery incidents were in the past order of the day with then kidnapper’s den today dislodged and by providing a conducive environment that Abia an investors destination including other people- centric efforts geared towards promoting good governance in the hitherto mocked state,contrary to what seems to be the case in the past.
Sadly,with avalanche of achievements recorded within one year and three months and with well meaning Nigerians appreciating bold initiative of Gov Alex Otti, but then,the Infinitismal detractors from the opposition camp that never saw anything good from the labour party led government in the state are not comfortable with Dr Alex Otti giant strides in governance,hence the unwarranted media onslaught.
Truly, opposition forces are today fighting tooth and nail to discredit and distract the ever focused Abia Governor,but the antics of insignificant disgruntled detractors who held the state back over the years when others are fast developing do not seem to be working for them any longer.
As it is today, everywhere
you go in Abia, from Arochukwu to Ohafia,Bende, Isuikwuato , Umunneochi, leading to Umuahia North and South, Ikwuano ,Isiala Ngwa North and South, Osisioma, Obingwa to Aba North and South, Ugwunagbo to Ukwa East and Ukwa West LGA’s in Abia State,it has been the same stories of commendation galores.
The conclusion is that Governor Alex Otti is doing very well in keeping to his electioneering campaign promises and should be supported by all well meaning Abians and residents alike,that lovers of Abia should join hands with the governor enable him fast track development that would be envy of us all.
The sing song today in Abia is that Otti is a God sent Governor, Dr Alex Otti is a messiah of our time,he is God answered prayers ,Abia has not heard it so good,so there is still money in the state to fast track development with his developmental milestones etc
Yet with these praises cum commendations galores from Abia people and residents alike laced with laudable projects that former “This Day newspapers columnist”, Otti is bringing to bear,it is however regrettable to note that rather than applaud transformative leadership which His Excellency is bringing on board to showcase to the entire world that Abians can still boasts of visionary and pragmatic leaders who can turn things around without excuses.
Yet, some pockets of opposition elements in our midst who were said to had failed to utilize the golden opportunity at their then disposal to take Abia to greater heights are today using all manners of frivolous criticisms to discredit the good work governor Alex Otti is doing to change the poor narratives of Abia before he came on board on 29th May,2023.
No doubt, Abia Governor has performed beyond expectations of his detractors who would not see anything good Dr Otti has been doing but continue to embark on destructive criticisms.
Worried by spate of destructive criticisms ,well meaning Abians are calling on the opposition parties especially the PDP to imbibe on constructive criticisms based on verifiable facts and not to dwell in inconsequential tantrums to distract , the performing governor of the time.
Speaking on need for constructive criticisms few weeks ago in an interview with this reporter, a PDP chieftain in Abia State and former Chairman ,South East Inter Party Advisory Council IPAC ,Prince Emeka Okafor counselled the opposition parties on the need to avoid “pull him down syndrome” and to criticize the government in power when it is absolutely necessary to do so.
The former three times Commissioner in the Abia State Executive Council under Dr Theodore Ahamefula Orji’s administration noted that Governor Alex Otti has so far done very in delivery of fruits of democracy to Abians but however advised that constructive criticisms is the best way to go rather than criticizing the government without verifiable facts.
” For me, I don’t believe in frivolous criticisms but when it is absolutely necessary,you bring out facts and figures to buttress your stand point as an opposition party in areas he has not done well and to applaud the governor in the areas he has also done well,that is what constructive criticisms is all about” Prince Emeka Okafor said.
In the same vein,a group under aegis of United Abia Artistes and Patriots Forum (UAAP) has also lambasted opposition parties for embarking on destructive criticisms of Dr Alex Chioma Otti Labour Party led Government.
Ambassador Osita Offor,the Ultimate Commander ,a renowned wrestler however called on opposition parties to join hands with Abia Governor in his rebuilding agenda rather than distracting him with destructive criticisms.
The group therefore passed a vote of confidence to Abia Governor stressing that he has delivered in all facets of the state economy.
From the foregoing , greater majority of Abians and residents alike are of the opinion that Governor Alex Chioma Otti has been focused in delivering democratic dividends and should not distracted any further but supported to move Abia forward.
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