The stellar performance of Governor Alex Otti during his recent appearance on Arise TV has continued to draw applause from a wide segment of the discerning public. However, it has also attracted criticism from a small group of displaced PDP loyalists in Abia State—individuals whose “feeding bottle” approach to politics has rendered them idle and unproductive. Their new vocation appears to be the relentless criticism of everything the Governor does, no matter how noble his efforts.
At the forefront of this group is John Okiyi Kalu, the self-appointed spokesman and chief purveyor of misinformation. Known for his penchant for propaganda, Okiyi Kalu played a similar role under the infamous regime of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, serving as Commissioner for Information. Back then, he busied himself painting an illusion of prosperity while the state stagnated and regressed.
It was the same John Okiyi Kalu who oversaw the so-called infrastructural “development” of that era—projects that existed more on newspaper pages and radio broadcasts than on the ground. During that inglorious time, public funds were mismanaged, pensioners died in neglect, and civil servants were uncertain of when next they would receive their salaries.
Since the political tsunami of February 22, 2023, which swept away the old guard, Jok and his ilk—now rendered politically irrelevant—have taken to acting as self-styled opposition critics. Every initiative by the people-endorsed Governor of Abia State, fondly called the Chioma Ndi Abia, is met with baseless criticism by these detractors.
This pattern of bad faith has been particularly evident since the May 2, 2025, Arise TV interview featuring Governor Otti. Jok and his associates have been working tirelessly—but unsuccessfully—to discredit what was clearly a masterclass in leadership communication and economic policy.
Governor Otti was at his eloquent best during the session with Rufai Oseni. He used the platform to explain his administration’s innovative policy measures that have enabled Abia State to offset several billions of naira in inherited debt while simultaneously achieving rapid improvements in key sectors. These include prompt salary payments, road infrastructure, healthcare, education, sanitation, ease of doing business, employment generation, crime reduction, energy, and attracting both local and international investors.
Most impressively, all these achievements have been realized without resorting to internal or external borrowing—unlike the previous administration’s norm. Governor Otti displayed a deep understanding of practical economic paradigms that have helped transform Abia from being one of the least developed states in southern Nigeria to currently the fastest-developing state in the country.
The facts speak for themselves, and no amount of politically motivated noise can drown out the progress that is evident to the people of Abia State and beyond.
