“The position of Abia State today is not the result of political manipulation or the influence of one godfather dictating the direction of provisions of basic amenities and service to the people but from a conscience nurtured by the fear of God and respect to humanity”
By Njoku SaintJerry A
Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo (SAN) was in Abia state for the flag off of the Abia International Airport, during his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony, he made a passing remark, he likened Otti’s exit from APC as that of a prodigal son that will eventually return home, his remarks made news headlines.
In August 2024, Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu was in Abia where he paid a private visit to the Governor, he made similar statement, calling on Governor Otti to ‘return home’ to APC, and numerous APC stalwarts in Abia State rose in support of Kalu’s position.
Prior to the Deputy Speaker’s visit, former governor and APC lawmaker Senator Orji Uzo Kalu had equally paid a courtesy visit to the residence of the Executive governor, where he passionately commended Otti’s effort in governance and encouraged stakeholders in Abia state politics to join hands with the good works the governor is doing.
That visit made news headlines and described OUK’s visit as an attempt to woo Otti over to APC, an allegation OUK’s body language did not deny.
While Abia state PDP struggles to learn the game of Oppositional politics as they engage in mudslinging rather than fulfill their primary and permanent obligation as the opposition, APC as a ruling party at the federal has opted for a subtle diplomatic approach to woo the leader of the New Abia.
It is not an easy road, not for APC and neither for PDP gubernatorial hopefuls as Otti redefines governance in Abia State drawing friends and foes together and foes even closer to a political path completely alien to both state political actors and stakeholders of Abia politics.
From a complete overhaul of a onetime disorganized administrative structure, to a disciplined workforce not composed of ‘all comers pack of campaign support team’ but carefully selected and appointed individuals ready and committed to the demands of duty and the responsibility of nation building. Not many followers of the systemic politics of patronage and incentives driven supporters base has found this approach comfortable
The governor even went further to lay bare the template of the kind of governance he had come to institute in Abia State, such that will make it very difficult if not impossible for any gubernatorial hopefuls to incentivize politics in the state again.
This has become the albatross and the bane of the Nigerian politics which has brought the entire nation to its knees today but Gov. Otti is not your regular off cycle Nigerian politician so he has been keen and meticulous enough to discover the root cause of the overall rot; The Sponsors, fondly referred to as ‘the godfather,’ the cat-paws fondly referred as ‘the godson’ but in actual sense, an emissary of woes and finally the people, whom are the victims and receivers of the woes to come from the ‘godson’ whose primary interest is the comfort of ‘the godfather.’
Abia State was a property of the godfather and the godson for over 20 years and the victims has no choice than seek avenues of acquainting themselves into the circle perhaps to survive the pains and frustrations of serving the interest of gullible characters sitting astride over entire affairs of the state.
Speaking at a church function in Umuahia; Gov Otti certainly recognizes the positions of ‘godfathers’ and how their influence has spelt doom for the progress of the state and her people but he acknowledges; “There is only one godfather that we have which is the God in heaven.”
Gov Otti stated that; “One of the pains that happens with politics is that when people come in on the promptings of somebody else, on the support of somebody else, or on the basis of the finances of somebody else, then it is very easy to begin to dictate to that person. “But, I can assure you that we are standing on our feet with Almighty God as our ‘godfather’ He said.
Having emerged as the Executive governor of Abia State under a clear people oriented victory under the Labour Party, in the heat of the 2023 revolutionary “Obedient Wave’ Otti has never relented in his pursuit of “the people-first’ agenda in governance with his signature projects spread across the 17 regions of the state for the direct benefit of the people and their environment first – a far cry from the old practice of the ‘godfather and godson politics of patronage and incentives’.
Nevertheless, the Gov affirms that his government maintains an open door policy where he listens to suggestions from the citizenry and applies the ones he considers sensible, asserting that it was already too late for anybody to derail his government, a government whose foundation is rooted in God.
“Vox populi, vox Dei” Voice of the people, the great teacher said; “Is the Voice of God” The position of Abia State today is not the result of political manipulation or the influence of one godfather dictating the direction of provisions of basic amenities and service to the people but from a conscience nurtured by the fear of God and respect to humanity.
Respect to humanity is not a work of rhetoric. It’s an actionable payback to the yearning of the people for electing or appointing you into any office of political responsibility – this is not the role of the ‘godson’ in the political fiefdom that the Otti’s government has arbitrarily dismantled in Abia state.
The Governor’s focus on people oriented governance is the hallmark of Labour Party., The people and their environment, Labour and Productivity and not political gimmicks always mocking the sensibility of the average citizen
Take for instance, the deliberate dismantling of a onetime puzzling infrastructural deficit that once appeared almost insurmountable and summarily portrayed Abia as ‘dysfunctional’ compared to the present ‘progressively viable’ status of the state in social-economic infrastructure, and most importantly a genuine rewarding engagement with the international community that has upped Abia’s economic ratings as one of the highest in Nigeria today, ranking 3rd behind Lagos and Abuja.
While delivering the 2025 Draft Budget to the State Assembly, Gov Otti reiterated his commitment in running a very efficient governance template, that will make it almost impossible for anybody that do not have any serious offer in governance to even attempt to contest election again in Abia State”.
With its signature projects that are highly rated as objects of social and economic advancement, Take for instance the complete reconstruction of the once completely abandoned Aba – Port Harcourt Road, MCC-Old Express, Cemetery and Omuma Roads all in Aba, the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Abiriba- Ohafia-Arochukwu road even the recently awarded Omenuko bridge in Abam, projects that will continue to defy all claims by the opposition to ever dare to come back into the governance of Abia state for abandoning these crucial economic model projects for years until the emergence of Gov Otti to completely overhaul the state infrastructure giving birth to the concept of the new Abia.
Some of these amenities that should support life and the business of the community had merely served as campaign signpost until the emergence of Otti in Abia governance.
Now that the governor has broken the jinx of these infrastructural deficit that once appeared ‘impossible’ APC wants him back, PDP wants his job back while others continue to make attempt for a second term with Otti under their platform.
It must be made clear here that with all the trending invitations and visits, APC cannot woo Otti based on mere political rhetoric, they should show the people of Abia practical example why they should be trusted.
The Road leading to Rt Hon Ben KALU residence in Bende LGA driving from Umuahia is already a sore score for any guber hopefuls under APC to dare dream of matching the template set by the leader of the New Abia, The only road running across Bende to other LGA from the capital city is an eyesore that cannot market anyone in the garb of the Deputy Speaker, unless they’re going to grab it (steal it) and run with it – We already know where such bizarre counsel has taken Nigerians to today.
The Abia PDP are trapped in self deceit and struggling to regain a self battered image and do not appear to have the capacity to anything better than their past history in governance.
Like Gov Otti had stated; by the time he is done serving Abians, those who have nothing to offer will find it difficult to contest elections in the State.
The leader of the ruling Labour Party has redesigned the template of governance in God’s own state to match with present reality of the yearning of citizens and residents in Abia state for a conducive and convenient environment for commerce and culture and there will be no better campaign rhetoric than to prove your capacity to out-perform the governor in every area where he has appended his signature.
Njoku SaintJerry A. is the State Publicity Secretary of Labour Party in Abia
