Abia state Governor Alex Otti has opened a vista of what a Labour Party government would look like in the new Nigeria when it is implemented”
Abia state has been in the headlines for the past 5 months, this time, not for some disturbing news of environmental rot, security situations or political manipulations by certain individuals that held the region hostage for over 2 decades of administrative mismanagement and official larceny but for a renewed leadership model that was made possible by the victory and emergence of the Alex Otti led Labour Party in the march 2023 gubernatorial elections.
Governor Otti has continued to receive accolades from home and abroad for setting a record as the first elected governor since 1999 democratic dispensation of Abia state to take the lead in remodeling the entire physical structure of Abia and embark on a dependable administrative responsibility to the people and residents of the state, most importantly the rebuilding of the rural-urban city, Umuahia to a worthy state capital.
The coming of Otti into Labour party heralded the era of mass discontent and angst against the political class from Abia state to Abuja, at a time the people were simply federally fed up to the teeth, frustrated and wanted something new, a complete overhaul of the kind of leadership that virtually brought the state to its knees.
The choice of Alex Otti served a classic example of the kind of leadership the people want.
It is worthy of note to highlight here that the coming together of the ordinary people to form the Obidient movement under Labour party was not a coincidence.
The leader Mr. Peter Obi in his simplicity, has laid the principles in line with the idea behind the wheel and the family, the logo of Labour party, and that is, a people oriented policy that pursues the general welfare of the ordinary citizenry; the workers and artisans who make the economy thrive, their environment and the commitment of the leadership to build a stable economy that will sustain the people.
This is the Alex Otti’s model in operation in Abia state today, a Labour party template of leadership that is represented in its logo of family and the wheel of industry, labour and productivity.
While Nigeria waits for the Supreme Court decision on the man widely elected by Nigerians to build a new homeland of industry, peace and prosperity, Abia state Governor Alex Otti has opened a vista of what a Labour Party government would look like in the new Nigeria of our dream.
It takes only the man propelled by the dignity and pride of Labour, the welfare of the people and their environment to initiate the kind of fast paced projects, the Otti Labour party administration has undertaken. Campaign promises are coming into reality without unnecessary media fan fare, the people are happy, Abia is wearing a new look directing Nigeria and the global community attention to the man responsible for these laudable changes.
On resumption of office, Governor Otti had to, as a matter of urgency deal with the structure of criminality in the administrative system of governance that has virtually grounded the entire civil service and elevated greed and ignorance such that it widens the gap between the government and the people by serving at best, the interest of few state political actors and their cronies in Abia.
This was the first hurdle and most daunting test of capacity for the man set to rebuild a virtually failed state destroyed by same political bed fellows that were completely disconnected from the people.
Governor Otti had to walk away from such circle of infamy and introduce a clean administrative template that serves the interest of the people and their environment when he came up with the idea of verification and overhaul of leadership of the entire Abia state civil service structure that he met.
Determined to see homeland, Abia at peace and rescued from the grips of inexperienced state administrators and political actors, whose knowledge of the economy is blinded by greed and ignorance of people’s power in governance, Otti had persisted in his political journey until he was able to hit the right chord with the people’s party, a socially democratic party whose strength is the people, who sustains the economy but were ignored, taken for granted for too long, the wages of their labour withheld for years and their environment and economy bastardized.
Labour party had laid the precedents with its people oriented policy of the welfare of the workers who runs the economy first, their environment and sustainability.
This has buoyed the choice for a man committed to the tenets of Labour Party in sincerity and has the experience and capacity to pursue those goals that are not only people oriented but committed to building an environment of social stability, prosperity and open to the world for partnerships.
Today, the rebuilding of the new Abia has commenced in earnest with the opening up of the state to the world, marked by the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AIIP) in Owazza, Ukwa land, a region that was abandoned by previous political administrations for years, it is followed by the flag off of an economic viable link road, the Aba-Port Harcourt Road that has been abandoned for over 24 years, completely destroying the people’s means of livelihood and killing family heads and businesses.
The light up the city projects that has actually lit up the city of Umuahia so that visitors who drive in by night could have a feel of what a capital city should look like is another milestone for a city that has virtually been in darkness for ages.
Governor Otti in his recent speech during the flag off ceremony of Aba-Port Harcourt road said; “We are going to rebuild ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated, not just on roads but on the broad spectrum of social infrastructure”.
Most importantly is the planned resuscitation of private businesses that once thrived in the city of Aba but are now moribund.
Committed to the people’s welfare and economic sustenance of the South East center of commerce and Industry, Aba, Otti reiterated his trademark statement
“On my watch, Aba shall witness the kind of economic revival that is very difficult to come by in this part of the world.”
As laudable as Governor Alex Otti ideas may appear, he cannot deliver such feats alone. Labour party is the working people’s party, that means every citizens and residents of the city of Aba and other municipal cities including wards across Abia state are by default members of Labour party.
In his closing remarks during his speech at the flag off ceremony in Aba-Port Harcourt road, Alex Otti said; “We must ultimately realise that no progress can be made without commensurate sacrifices on the part of all concerned.”
That said, it becomes the duty of both those that identified themselves as oppositions and all supporters of good governance to join hands with the Alex Otti Labour party government to establish the New Abia that both visitors and residents will be proud of.
Njoku SaintJerry A. is the State Publicity Secretary, Labour Party, Abia
