2027: Abia North stakeholders back Otti’s re-election

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA — Stakeholders from Abia North senatorial district, under the aegis of the Alliance for Good Governance, have reiterated their support for the re-election of Governor Alex Otti in the 2027 governorship election.

The stakeholders, who had earlier adopted Otti as their preferred candidate at a meeting in Abiriba, said they would continue to support his administration and seek to sustain what they described as its governance model beyond 2031.

The position was contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Ugwueke, Bende Local Government Area, and signed by the Secretary and spokesperson of the group, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa.

The group said the meeting was convened to consolidate the earlier Abiriba declaration and reaffirm its support for Otti’s administration.

According to the communique, the stakeholders agreed that Otti’s administration represented good governance and called for the continuation of what they described as his administration’s template beyond 2031.

“The meeting unanimously agreed that the administration of Governor Alex Chioma Otti represents good governance. All speakers were unanimous in their desire that beyond 2031, when he leaves office, the next generation of Abia leaders must continue with the template this administration has initiated.

“There will be no going back. On the contrary, we shall continue to improve and grow from strength to strength,” the communique stated.

The stakeholders also resolved to mobilise support for Otti’s re-election in 2027 through grassroots voter education.

They said they would focus particularly on voter education among grassroots residents and people with limited literacy, while also urging youths not to sell their votes.

The group described itself as non-partisan and said its members were elders from Abia North seeking to encourage what they considered good governance in the state.

Mkpa said the group expected Otti to continue what it described as his administration’s achievements during the remaining period of his first term and, if re-elected, into his second term.

He said: “In the past, we fretted, we trembled, we were afraid and intimidated to be identified as Abians. But today, we can raise our shoulders high and say proudly, we are Abians.”

Ogah: We have mapped out strategies

A former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, said the stakeholders had developed strategies to mobilise support for Otti’s re-election.

Ogah said members of the group had political structures that would be deployed to the grassroots for voter education and mobilisation.

“Almost everyone here has a political structure. These structures will go to the grassroots to enlighten our people at the lowest level.

“But I can tell you that with good governance in place, our people are knowledgeable. They know what is good and what is bad, and the difference is clear. Abians have seen good governance and infrastructure everywhere,” he said.

Ogah urged Abia residents to support Otti in the 2027 election, saying the state could gain greater recognition through what he described as the governor’s administration.

The host of the meeting, Sir Johnson Chukwu, said the Alliance for Good Governance was established to provide a platform for opinion leaders to contribute to discussions on governance.

He cited road infrastructure, education and healthcare among areas where he said Otti’s administration had made progress.

“We need to ensure we institutionalise it across Abia and across the federation,” Chukwu said.

Also speaking, former Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings, Elder Urum Kalu Eke, who worked with Otti in the banking sector, expressed support for the governor’s performance.

He said Otti had demonstrated what he described as professional standards in public office and argued that there was no need for a change where an elected official had performed well.

“I was invited to lend credence to the fact that we have one of us who left the industry to make a difference in our home State, Abia. We are proud of his representation,” Eke said.

Earlier, the convener of the group, Chief Ebueme Ezikpe, said the alliance was not a political party and that none of its members was a government contractor.

He said the group was interested in sustaining what it described as the current governance approach in Abia State.

“What has happened in Abia today is clear and visible. Everybody in Abia State has confirmed that the difference is clear. We must sustain and protect this kind of governance which we have never seen before. We are looking beyond 2031,” Ezikpe said.

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