Abia Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has dedicated his recent tribunal court victory to God and the people of Abia with a call on the opposition to join hands with his administration to move the state forward.
Recall that the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia and led by Justice HTD Gwadah, on Friday dismissed the petition brought before it by the PDP Governorship candidate in the 2023 Governorship Election, Chief Okey Ahiwe, challenging the outcome of the March 18th 2023 Gubernatorial election.
Similarly, another Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the state also dismissed the petition brought before it by Chef Ikechi. Emenike of the APC against Governor Otti and six others.
Reacting to the Judgement from his hometown in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, Governor Otti said the victory should not have been a matter for dispute stating that his party clearly won the election.
He said; “If you followed the election and everything that happened thereafter, you would know that quite frankly, this victory should not have been contested in the first place. But then, I do not deny my opponents the right to go to court.
“We want to thank the tribunal, the judges and everybody that worked very hard in the last 180 days to ensure that Justice is done”.
Governor Otti extended an olive branch to his opponents, urging them to put aside their differences and collaborate in the development of the state.
He encouraged them to redirect the resources spent on litigation towards addressing the pressing needs of their communities, such as building roads and providing pipe-borne water for their various communities.
Governor Otti who emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and harmony within the state, said that resources should be channeled towards the betterment of the lives of Abia’s inhabitants.
“My advice to my opponents is that this is a good time to sheath their swords and join hands with me to develop our state, Abia.
“Anyhow you slice and dice it, it costs a lot of money to engage in litigation. While I will not ask them to bring the money to me I would appreciate it if they would channel those resources to building roads in their villages and communities, providing pipe-borne water and ensuring that this state remains peaceful for the benefit of its inhabitants”, he said.
Governor Otti thanked God for the victory and pledged to continue serving Abians diligently, recognizing that this triumph was a testament to the sacrifice made by the people of Abia during the 2023 Governorship election.
