Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has called for stronger citizen participation in governance and elections, warning that declining voter turnout poses a threat to Nigeria’s democratic future.
Governor Otti stated this on Thursday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Umuahia, during the Abia State Anniversary Lecture organised by the state government as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the present administration, themed: “Three Years of Transformation: Impacting Lives, Shaping the Future”.
The Governor expressed concern over declining electoral participation in Nigeria, citing statistics that showed voter turnout dropping from about 57 per cent in 2007 to 27 per cent in the 2023 general elections.
According to him, citizens who refuse to participate in elections lose moral authority to criticise leadership, urging increased civic engagement beyond just voting.
“Participation does not necessarily mean contesting elections, but it means being actively involved in the democratic process”, he said.
Governor Otti said that governance must remain centred on “the dignity of man and woman,” which he noted was inspired by the 15th-century philosopher Pietro della Vigna’s “Oration on the Dignity of Man.”
He stressed that development efforts should prioritise people over infrastructure alone, adding that meaningful governance must improve education, health, and welfare outcomes across communities.
Governor Otti commended the human rights lawyer and keynote speaker, Prof Chidi Odinkalu for what he described as a thought-provoking lecture, particularly on governance reforms and security coordination, including proposals for expanding the membership of state security councils to include education and health sector officials.
He also highlighted the need to strengthen regulation and quality assurance across both public and private tertiary institutions, noting disparities in accreditation standards among universities.
Otti further praised contributions from diaspora professionals and researchers, saying evidence-based planning had shaped Abia’s development blueprint since 2015, with periodic updates ahead of subsequent election cycles.
He said his administration would continue infrastructure tours and commissioning of projects across communities and reaffirmed commitment to inclusive development.
Earlier, while delivering the keynote lecture at the event, Human rights lawyer, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said that sustainable governance in Nigeria must go beyond physical infrastructure to prioritise people, dignity and institutional integrity.
Prof Odinkalu said the transformation witnessed in Abia within three years reflected “a restoration of dignity, hope and trust in governance”.
He stressed that “projects matter, but projects will not last if the people do not have and the people do not own them”, adding that investment in people remains the foundation of lasting development.
Prof. Odinkalu described the previous 24 years in Abia as a period of “desgobierno”, a Spanish expression meaning “ungovernment” , and argued that the South-East should focus less on complaints of marginalisation and more on demonstrating effective governance.
According to him, “We can out-govern the rest of Nigeria and start creating a dignified population, a place where things work”.
He said the legitimacy of Governor Otti’s mandate had restored accountability in governance, noting that improved roads, security, electricity and healthcare services had significantly changed the state.
He particularly credited street lighting and electricity projects in Aba for reducing crime and improving business productivity and further commended the Otti led administration for prioritising social welfare through health insurance, disability support services, maternal transport schemes and the upgrade of primary healthcare centres.
The keynote speaker also called for the establishment of a research and development cluster driven by the state’s universities, a commercial dispute resolution hub and a women’s legacy enterprise fund in honour of the Aba women of 1929.
He urged Abians to protect the gains already recorded, saying, “The smile has returned to the faces of the people and hope appears willing to return from exile”.
Also, a public affairs analyst, Dr Bolaji Akinyemi, urged stakeholders to remain focused on sustaining the achievements of Governor Alex Otti’s administration rather than rushing political calculations.
He stressed the need to institutionalise good governance and effective leadership through deliberate strategies that would preserve the gains recorded and ensure a lasting legacy beyond the current administration.
A Director at Union Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Eileen Shaiyen, in her remarks, said Abia State has the potential to emerge as a commercial and professional services hub if it continues to make the right leadership choices.
She attributed governance challenges in many societies to poor leadership selection and urged residents to look beyond superficial considerations when electing leaders in order to sustain the positive transformation in Abia and the wider South-East region.
Contributing, a technology expert, Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe, commended the Abia State Government for what he described as credible efforts to strengthen governance systems and build citizens’ capacity.
He said developments across key sectors reflected a deliberate and technology-driven approach to governance aimed at improving service delivery and responding effectively to the needs of the people.
