Nationwide protest: How Gov Otti disarmed Abians residents from participating in end bad governance protest
Nationwide protest: How Gov Otti’s pragmatic leadership qualities disarmed Abians , residents from participating in end hungry protest.
By: Nwaeze Moses.
Umuahia.
It has been said over and over by the Executive Governor of Abia State,Dr Alex Otti that leadership
is not a rocket science,it is something that is inborn, something one has to have innate ability,it is also something that is learnt, acquired through knowledge based education and nurtured over time to produce results that would stand the veritable test of time.
It is little wonder they said that good leadership begets good followers hip, an inspirational leader who hearkens to the cry and yearnings of his people must surely attract massive follower ship.
A good leader is the one who commands the respect of the led without grumbling and revolt.
Put differently,you cannot give what you don’t have.
Great leaders are applauded through rare leadership attributes which they bring to bear while they hold sway in various positions of authority.
No doubt,the nationwide protest against “End Bad Governance” declared in Nigeria from August,1st to 10th August ,2024 has come and gone,but the memories of 10 days hunger protest would continue to linger in the minds of those who followed ugly developments that occured within the days under review.
Stories were told of how many innocent citizens that were killed, properties worths millions of naira belonging to the government destroyed.
In addition, private properties were also not spared across many states in the country with exception of people from South East including Abia State that refused to join the end hungry protest.
But alas, Abians and residents listened to voice of reason from our amiable governor, Dr Alex Otti who called on the people not to join the bandwagon.
Interestingly enough,the giant strides recorded by the banker turned chief executive officer of the state was the magic wand needed to disarmed Abians and residents alike who stayed away from end of bag governance protest.
They chorused that Gov Otti’s people oriented programmes and policies gave credence to the fact that help is indeed here,hence the issue of bad governance should not be associated with in the doorstep of the state but that of the federal government.
It could be recalled that on assumption of office in May 29,2023, the newly elected governor,Dr Alex Chioma Otti promised Abians that they should not grieve over the untold hardships meted out to them by the previous administrations and that with the coming on board of his labour led Government,help is no longer a far from the people but here with us.
Expectedly,the former executive officer of the defunct Diamond Bank on assumption of office immediately swung into action through regular payment of salaries and pensions,in fact Otti made bold his promise of paying on or before 28th day of every month thereby restoring eluded hope to the hopeless and helpless Abia workers prior to the emergence of “Chioma Ndi Abia” as the Executive Governor of God’s own state.
Politicial observers to the unfolding development since the first class Economist graduate of University of Port Harcourt took over the reigns of leadership are saying that Daniel has finally come to judgement,that things are indeed looking up under the watch of Dr Alex Chioma Otti.
Some of the critical areas Governor Alex Otti declared state of emergency are in the state included:Health sector ,Education,Trade Commerce and Inventory, Security sectors etc.
In addition,there have been massive road reconstruction and rehabilitations,Light Abia initiative,etc are other critical areas that have been given priority attention by the performing governor of Abia State,Dr Alex Chioma Otti.
All these verifiable achievements put together,made Abians to appreciate the good work their governor is doing and were full of praises any time they see him at the public functions or commissioning one project or the other.
Speaking in an interview,Comrade Uchechi Elekwanya lauded Governor Alex
Governor Alex Otti for his exemplary leadership that turned Abia an investors destination,that investors are today showing their readiness to partner 
the state government because of the conducive environment created the Isiala Ngwa South born ex- banker.
Chief Elekwanya said it would be foolhardy for any sensible Abians and
residents to embark on protest when South Easterners have been crying of marginalization over the years without any genuine efforts to address the lopsidedness.
He said,” I do not see any genuine reason on
embarking on the protest even when we have a performing governor of Abia State ”
Elekwanya queried the rationale behind calling for the nationwide hunger protest when Gov Otti has revealed that it was within the constitutional mandate of the people to protest but in most cases,it is often hijacked by those who do not meant for the state, frowning on the futility of embarking and joining on the nationwide end hungry protest and pleaded
This school of thought perhaps underscores the reason why Abians and residents opted out of the protest along side other sister states from the South East.
According to an Imo state indigene but Abia based motorcycle rider, a.k.a. Ala owerri told this Reporter that Governor Alex Otti said they should not join the bandwagon to protest, because he is doing very well,we obeyed him.
He added that if it were during the previous administrations,with the current hunger in the land occasioned by the harsh economic policies of the federal government,we would have join others to protest but because our governor has been working tirelessly to put smiles into the faces of the citizenry,we decided to back out.
On her part,Mrs Mabel Esonu,a petty trader from Ogwumabiri market,Ossah Ibeku told this reporter that embarking on nationwide protest was needless because the performing governor,Otti has been working tirelessly to cleanse the mess left behind by the PDP administrations in Abia State.
Today,we are selling our commodities in the market because workers received their salaries promptly and this has also increased their purchasing power unlike before Abia workers are heavily owed.
As for Lolo Chiamaka Nwankwo,a Lagos based business woman however expressed satisfaction with developmental strides recorded by Governor Alex Otti within just one year and some months .
She said that women outside Igbo land are solidly behind him and wondering how any right thinking human being can embark on end hunger protest when Abia is in safe hands with our amiable governor.
Though today,10th August,2024 is the last day of Endbadgovernance declared in Nigeria, while there were established cases of loss of lives, destruction of public and private properties,the reverse was therefore the case as the good people of Abia State and residents listened to wise counsel of their performing governor to opt out.
Indeed,the evidence of good governance under the watch of Governor Alex Otti no doubt,may have disarmed Abians and residents alike to ignore the call for nationwide hunger protest leading to the state been calm and safe all through the tension soaked days under review in some northern and south western states.
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