Abia ex-govs ganging up against Otti out of envy – ALGON

By Steve Oko

Local Government Chairmen in Abia State have berated former governors of the state for “ganging up” against the incumbent Gov Alex Otti, describing them as “architects of a failed past who are unsettled by the present progress in the state”.

According to the mayors who addressed a press conference Friday in Umuahia, the former governors are only envious of Gov. Otti because they felt intimidated by his laudable achievements.

This is coming on the heels of a recent threat by former governors of the state who vowed to make Otti a one-term governor and to deliver Abia to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2027.

Reading from a prepared text, the Mayor of Isuikwuato LGA and the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Abia State, Hon. Chinedu Ekeke, said that any gang-up against Gov. Otti would not succeed because he already has the massive support of the grassroots based on his scorecard.

The ALGON boss, who was flanked by 16 other mayors in the state, said that Otti’s record of achievements “speaks clearly and visibly across all 17 LGAs of the state”, adding that the governor, since assumption of office, has demonstrated clear commitment to good governance, fiscal responsibility and service delivery which could be verified.

“As custodians of grassroots governance, we are in constant interaction with our communities and can attest to the growing public confidence in the direction of governance and the tangible benefits currently being experienced by our people.

“It’s apparent that the unease behind these statements arises not from poor governance, but from stark contrast between Gov. Otti’s achievements and the abysmal records of past administrations. Every project executed, every service delivered, and every reform implemented under his leadership sets a new standard of governance. The standard has unsettled those whose previous tenures left Abia with unmet needs and unfulfilled promises.”

Speaking further, he said: “We recognise that in a democratic system, leadership is determined by performance and the freely expressed will of the electorate through credible elections, and not by declaration, pronouncements or political gang-ups.”

The mayors, who also passed a vote of confidence on Gov. Otti, challenged his detractors to present their facts and not empty threats and blackmail.

“Public discourse must be approached with facts, not falsehoods, exaggerations, or revisionist narratives,” they added.

The mayors further said that they considered it “inappropriate for any individual or group to attempt to pre-empt the democratic process or undermine the visible progress being recorded in Abia State through speculative political rhetoric”.

The council bosses reaffirmed their “commitment to supporting policies and programmes that strengthen local governance, deepen institutional development and improve the quality of life of citizens”.

Responding to a question on the financial autonomy of councils in Abia, the ALGON Chairman explained that LGAs in the state had continued to receive their allocations through the Joint Allocation Account (JAAC), adding that they are not aware of any hijack of council funds by the state government.

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