“There is no magic or political rhetoric in attaining scores on sustainability in governance other than applying tested economic realities on policies that is practicable and people oriented therefore the moral and political burden is once again thrown to the people of Abia to consider returning to the pains of underdevelopment and shame of the past that was a trademark of the Old Abia, to the gains of continuity under the Labour Party led government of Alex Otti”
By Njoku SaintJerry A.
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Recently there have been growing onslaughts by oppositional voices to malign the Labour party led government of Abia State under H.E. Governor Alex Otti (OFR) and refute the claim of ongoing great works of reconstruction of what was known as the ‘Old Abia’ to a ‘New Abia’.
The New Abia under Gov Otti portrays a 360 degree shift completely disconnected from the old order of governance and administrative system, an era marked by filth, poor administration and bad economic rating and retrogressive governance void of tangible commendable dividends of democracy.
In those dark days of Abia, both the state and the governed were in dire situations that defied order and accountability. Governance was at its lowest since the creation of the state, the residents and visitors fled and Abia remained at the butt of beer parlour jokes. Comedians find sport with the dire situation of the state so much that residents of this region could barely lift up their head to put up a challenge except, perhaps you fall within that infamous circle of ‘patronage’ of family, cronies and accomplices.
Under that awkward system that spans over two decades, three political gladiators’ personified governance, the Orji Uzo Kalu dynasty, the T.A Orji family fiefdom and Okezie Ikpeazu band of ‘yes sir’ men that characterized a government run on family influence, to cronies and accomplices.
Loyalty to the hierarchy was measured by the loudest praise singing by the hallelujah gangs, a horde of aides from political office holders whose known responsibilities were characterized by brazen deception and stark ignorance even in the midst of glaring evidences of failures virtually at all corners of governance, Abia deteriorated so much that “Abia stinks”’ became a common phrase of definition of the state; popularized by South East Billionaire Prince Arthur Eze.
Public Infrastructures collapsed, trusts were betrayed, discipline was thrown to the dogs and Abia merely thrived under a billboard echo of governance that cannot be traced to anywhere other than the infamous circle of family, cronies and accomplices in government.
Such were the sordid situations that defined the Old Abia until the emergence of Alex Otti and his introduction of a people oriented government, a Labour party social democratic principle that pushes the interest of the people and their environment to the frontline of the business of governance, that is the origin of the new Abia that works for the people and their environment.
As we approach another electoral year in the coming months, those mounting campaigns of calumny and vendetta under the guise of oppositional politics will have one challenge to deal with, The comparison or the difference between the Abia before Alex Otti, and the present environmental infrastructural reality, entrenched administrative discipline and the challenge of consistency to a return to the old order of filth and shame, dysfunctional governance and brazen lawless gathering of familiar characters that has deceived the people and their region for too long until the people revolted and kicked them all out.
In the past, virtually every skit maker built content with the leadership failure in Abia under those parading as oppositional leaders. That era ended immediately Gov. Alex Otti took over and commenced the reconstruction of that devastated old order to the New Abia of every resident’s pride today, and for the first time, the rest of Nigeria is looking at Abia, not with contempt anymore, but with respect.
Every object of criticism employed by the oppositions against the Otti led Labour party government only reflected the sordid past under their grip that Abians has been rescued from.
The most important essence of politics is good governance, and a leadership that is sincerely committed to the basic welfare of the governed, their environment and economic expectations’ of the people who fuels the engine of economic success of the region. This is the difference between the Old Abia and the New Abia. Sustaining such an administration that has brought relief, national pride and a future that is bankable should bother every observer, influencer, those who mold public opinion and the ordinary people of Abia State, whose hope has been re-enlivened under the Gov Alex Otti Labour Party led administration.
Otherwise, how do you expect people to go back to that era of filth, deterioration, poor governance and deception, which is not acceptable under whatsoever political, social or cultural nomenclature.
Then, for the sake of political exigencies, 2027 electoral year, If God keep us alive shall mark a defining moment for the people of Abia State, the Challenge would be focused on sustaining the great legacies the Otti’s Labour Party government has established under the New Abia platform and not reinventing the failures of the past, bringing Abia through another strings of experimental governance, decay and shut down of public infrastructure.
Reason is; there is no known member of the old order known to have govern with a focus on development that matters most when they had all the chances to do so rather the energy was focused on maintaining the old order of patronage of family, cronies and accomplices, nothing has changed, not even the rhetoric on politics and governance, this is the greatest challenge, not removing Otti but in sustaining the development that has been birthed under his astute leadership.
Another challenge is grooming individuals of like minds that have the interest of the state and its citizens above family circle of patronage, cronies and accomplices; this should bother every Abia State indigene irrespective of the Political divide.
More so, It must be made clear that the achievement of this administration is based on the Labour party doctrine of the People and their environment, The old order do not have such blue print that consider the economic significance of running a people oriented governance, this is the hallmark of Labour party, a doctrine on sustainability of the wheel that propels the engine of a successful economy. The Old order do not have such constructive mindset of developing the society other than self gratification and maintenance of the conduit of brazen lawless behaviors that honors only loyalty to the hierarchy of family, cronies and accomplices
Under the Otti’s led administration Abia has leaped from the 18th position to the 4th place as most sustainable region in its economy and regional development according to a report released by BudgIT, before that, a 2024 poll by the Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN) voted the Abia State Governor Alex Otti as “the most effective public official in Nigeria.”
There is no magic or political rhetoric in attaining scores on sustainability in governance other than applying tested economic realities on policies that is practicable and people oriented therefore the moral and political burden is once again thrown to the people of Abia to consider returning to the pains of underdevelopment and shame of the past that was a trademark of the Old Abia, to the gains of continuity under the Labour Party led government of Alex Otti for the sustenance of the gains and joy of the New Abia.
Like Senator Adolphus Wabara stated at a public function in Aba, “Abians are awake now, after witnessing and testing quality governance under the Alex Otti led Labour Party government, “Any attempt to manipulate, intimidate, or subvert the will of the people in the 2027 elections will be firmly and collectively resisted”
Njoku Jerry A is the State Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Abia State Chapter, He writes from Umuahia
