“…Perhaps the Gov Otti’s superlative performance in office seemed to have incurred the envy of the deposed political gangsters, who have formed a vicious opposition, the current fight against insecurity calls for concerted efforts among all the citizens and residents of Abia”
The political profile of the Abia Governor, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, has been on a steady rise since he mounted the saddle on May 29, 2023 as the fifth Chief Executive of the state.
No sooner had he taken the Oath of Office than he began to shine and impress with the implementation of his well-crafted people-oriented programmes on infrastructure, health, education, environment, civil service, agriculture and security.
Consequently, his rating within and beyond the shores of Abia State and Nigeria continues to soar. His sterling and outstanding performance in his first year in office elicited widespread commendations from the clergy, political class across party lines, technocrats and highly respected traditional rulers in the country.
Gov. Otti has, no doubt, been exceptional and exemplary in his leadership style. He has also shown class and unrivalled political will and commitment to change the unpalatable Abia narrative and the systems rot that he inherited after the many years of the locust.
He has consistently marched his words with action going by his administration’s unwavering seriousness in tackling the obvious infrastructure deficit with the massive road reconstruction and rehabilitation across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
The State Government has also proved it’s mettle in fighting crime and criminality in the major cities of Aba and Umuahia in order to secure lives and property of residents and also promote trade and commerce.
It is expected that with inter-connecting networks of good roads within the state for easy movement of persons and goods as well as a robust security architecture in place, Abia would have become an investment haven, attractive, welcoming and irresistible to blue chip investment companies across the globe.
This was fast becoming realisable, considering the avalanche of prospective investors that have continued to throng the state from within and outside the country, indicating genuine interest in expanding their multi-billion dollars investments to the state.
The governor has also placed high premium on the development of Aba, with the aim of restoring the city to its former pride of place as the leading industrial and commercial hub of Nigeria and West African sub-region.
This is the feat that the enemies of the state have sworn with their lives not to allow to materialise by their satanic and criminal ploy to frustrate and encumber Gov. Otti from being able to deliver his development-pact agenda for Aba and the entire state.
It is ironical, to say the least, that the governor’s superlative performance in office seemed to have unwittingly incurred the envy of the deposed political gangsters, who have formed a vicious opposition, having completely lost their political value and relevance in the state.
Hence, the conspiracy with deadly criminal elements to take up arms against the state without any provocation was considered expedient and their option to blackmail the present administration and scare away potential investors through sponsoring sporadic attacks in a guerrilla style against innocent residents and security personnel in Aba.
The sinister objective, as widely believed and rightly too, being to paint the picture of a city, nay Abia State, that is under criminal siege, thus insecure for investment.
It is regrettable that the resurgence of these armed attacks are happening at a time the state had recovered from its pariah status in the comity of states of the federation to suddenly become the synosure of other Nigerians as a beautiful bride, sought after as an investment destination, East of the Niger, under the Labour Party-led administration.
At different fora, particularly during his condolence visits to the Army formations and families of the slain police operatives, the governor has not shied away from identifying those behind the attacks as the enemies of the state, who are not happy with the good things that are unfolding in God’s Own State and
have initiated the bloody onslaught to blackmail his administration. Indeed, this can be hardly controverted!
He has therefore vowed not to succumb to the plot but strive to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly attacks and ensure that they were made to bear the full weight of the law.
Those who are close to the governor in his private and official capacities can attest that he is not given to flippant talks and empty threats.
He has proven overtime to be a man of action. His political opponents can prove this!
I can bet with my life that Gov. Otti is prepared to deploy all the necessary technology, human and financial resources at his disposal to make sure that those directly or remotely involved in this act of cowardice did not escape from the long arm of the law.
This is an existential challenge that confronts him and his administration today and he would neither shirk not quiver in confronting it headlong.
The unwholesome development also poses serious challenge to the managements of the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police, Army, Navy and other security formations in the state to put on their thinking caps and synergise among themselves to sniff out the source(s) of these incessant attacks and the forces behind them through strategic networking and intelligence sharing.
The repeated attacks, which have claimed over a dozen lives of both security personnel and civilians, drawing public outrage in their aftermaths, call for an outright rejigging and overhaul of the security architecture and strategies. Of course, the sad situation has proved them to have become either compromised or ineffective to combat the present affront on the state.
It is instructive that this measure is carried out without further waste of time to end the siege and restore the people’s confidence in the security agencies. The earlier this is done by the relevant command authorities, the better for the state and its people.
There is no gainsaying the truth that the security agencies in the state are enjoying unlimited encouragement and support from the present administration and any measures that would work to restore peace and security in the state would certainly receive Gov. Otti’s boundless blessing.
The current fight against insecurity and those that have committed to recklessly shedding human blood and causing fear in Abia calls for concerted efforts among all the citizens and residents of God’s Own State.
– Eagle Okoro is a Public Affairs analyst and writes from Umuahia
