At 32, Abians are expectant and eager for a lot of developmental milestones from the state chief executive, Dr. Alex Otti.
This is because for the past decades, Abia has witnessed a snail pace development wherein all the indices of development remain at abysmal level.
Some Abia indigenes who reside outside the state, said that though the high expectations of the people might not have been met but they are hopeful, there will be turn around.
A spare part dealer at the Ikeokwu market in Port Harcourt, Mr. Ebenezer Ndubuisi in an interview with our Reporters said that Governor Alex Otti’s administration has brought a new dynamic to leadership while laying a solid foundation for Abia’s recovery from the mess it was plunged into in the past 24 years. He said the emergence of Dr. Otti as the governor of Abia State was timely and strategic emphasizing that he was very impressed with the administration of the state.
He said the task to rescue Abia from the mess it was thrown into was not an easy one but hopeful that Dr. Otti clean the Augean table and restore the state’s pride of place.
Mr. Ndubuisi expressed gladness on the ongoing verification of civil servants stating that lots of ghost workers would be fished out and the money realized channeled towards the development of the state.
The spare part dealer further said that judging from his antecedents in the private sector, and how successfully he worked in the banking sector, Otti would bring to bare his administrative acumen in piloting the affairs of the State.
The spare parts dealer said that Abians should expect tremendous development as Otti would reduce the cost of governance.
Other Abians interviewed stated that the expectations of the people from the present administration are high giving that Otti’s administration came with new visions and administrative plans geared towards the upliftment of the state. He said that with Governor Otti coming from a political party with different manifesto is believed will take Abia to a new developmental height.
We believe Gov Otti will make Abia great again.
In his assertion, the President of the Igbo community and non-indigenes in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Sunday Orie has expressed optimism that Abia State will be great under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party.
In an interaction with our correspondent in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of Abia State creation, the Igbo president who is also an indigene of Umunneochi, Abia North regretted that development in Abia has been at snail pace since the state creation.
Orie who attributed what he described as “rape of development” in Abia State to bad leadership expressed hope that things would change for better with a new and independent minded person on the saddle adding that the crop of people, known to be highly cerebral that formed governor Otti’s cabinet was an indication that he had planned to succeed in rebuilding the State.
He noted that many of them moved out of Abia because of bad government saying that, time have come for some people to return to the state.
The Igbo president reminded governor Otti that Abians do not necessarily need government handouts but an enabling environment for their business to thrive such as good and accessible road network, constant power supply, building of industries, prompt payment of workers’ salaries, free and compulsory education.
He however urged the governor not to disappoint the people who voted him massively during the 2023 elections warning that the people could also vote him out in 2027 if he fails to meet up with their expectations.
His words, “because of what was happening in Abia, a lot of us left but the season has come for us to come back to our state because we have seen a man with vision who can make Abia smile again. Right from the campaign time you saw the tears of Abians, they were tired of bad leadership. Abia people have found a man whom the messiah will use to take us to our promise land. We all know that His Excellency, Peter Obi is strongly behind him and he will guide him to make Abia great.
“Abians are not looking for money but for good roads. A man that can do good drainage, a man that can help us build industries, industrialize Abia state which we are known for.”
While urging the people to support and be patient with the governor, the President said: “You have made it to bring a man of your choice, do not join hands to pull him down, let us support him and be patient with him to work for us, if he fails to perform in four years you can throw him out with your votes, but if he performs you can return him.”
