“I rather want to see development than paperwork of audio and optics packaging been presented as development. Looking from hindsight, one can see the wisdom exhibited by Alex Otti by consigning the distractions of the elites aside by focusing on what he can deliver within one election cycle”
The three years of the New Abia under the angelic and astute management of The Chief Servant, Dr. Alex Otti has been sensational, momentous, extraordinary, spectacular, reassuring, aplomb, and above all has given us a new normal in developmental strides.
Abia State before 2023 was being denigrated in shame, ranking 33rd out of 36 states in the development index. But today, the paradigm has shifted to construction and development metastasis with ranking among the best ten states in economic growth indices. Amazingly, this massive economic transformation only took place in three years. How else are we to describe an economic miracle, or should I call it magic? God would not allow me to cause those I should bless. Abia has done extremely very well in record three years.
I have very often been asked by those who believes I wine and dine on the same table with Alex Otti, that what about the question of accountability of the New Abia and the refusal of Alex Otti’s government to strip open the numbers behind the projects being done on behalf of the people?
And I have this to say in responding to them.
During Orji Uzo Kalu administration between 1999 and 2007, he ran an open book accounting process in which he published each month a statement of account of the state every 15 days after receiving money from FAAC.
He was then adjudged the best governor by unsuspecting federal agencies, and his example became a reference point of good governance at the time. He even earned a sobriquet of action governor by even the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
But amid these praises and applause for OUK was indescribable murkiness, there was little or nothing going on in the state in terms of development save for the regular sharing of the people’s money among his chosen people with ties to few projects which were usually recycled for payments every month to launder for him.
While the state remained static and even on standstill on account of its resources stripping, we started hearing of OUK’s personal projects and assets outside the state: Slok airline, Slok Bank in Sierra Leone and Gambia, Slok Shipping line, Slok Construction Company, Potomac mansion in USA and even the most audacious was his business ties with his Lebanese business partner, Gilbert Chaghouri, the capone of all times in money laundering. Abia State had become confined in a deep ditch.
While OUK’s government was still busy churning out the magic prudential numbers from his manipulated state account, he and his government started another scheme called “irrevocable standing payment order” for non-existent projects in the state but only debts projected against documentation. Theodore Orji government continued this scheme after OUK was long gone and thereafter passed the baton to Okezie Ikpeazu. Abia State is today still paying debts accumulated for its future generations by these trio crime lords, OUK and Theodore Orji, and Ikpeazu.
These were people who supposedly ran a government of accounting processes of specifications, bill of quantities, bid processes, procurement orders etcetera, but had nothing in real development to show for it. It was just 419 government of the more you look, the less you see. Everything ended in private pockets.
But fast forward and juxtapose to what is seen today under Governor Alex Otti. Less accounting stress or what you call paperwork but metastasizing development everywhere. Abia State, in three years, was converted to a huge construction site.
I rather want to see development than paperwork of audio and optics packaging been presented as development. Looking from hindsight, one can see the wisdom exhibited by Alex Otti by consigning the distractions of the elites aside by focusing on what he can deliver within one election cycle of 4 years. Dr. Alex Otti, I know, has all his accounts books and fiscal clean bills of health ready for Abians at any time. To believe otherwise is to assume his first class award in accountancy, and one of the topclass economists and bankers around is a fluke.
If the people now say they prefer to be shown a clean slate of books of account instead of uncommon development strides, so be it, and the ballot should speak in 2027.
Okpotemba Ohafia.
