The new Governor of Abia State, Alex Chioma Otti, and his Deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu of the Labour Party, were sworn-in by the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Lillian Abai. The event, which took place at the Umuahia township stadium, was witnessed by supporters who gathered to celebrate the occasion.
Otti, who won the March 18th governorship contest, vowed to revamp Abia State and operate from his re-election campaign platform, which he believes will transform the state. He promised to appoint men and women of integrity who are dedicated to service. He also noted that his administration would systematically address the poor conditions of workers and pensioners brought on by the non-payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities by the previous administration.
Otti promised to engage the services of qualified contractors and seasoned technocrats in the execution of projects. He emphasized that every money released for projects would be utilized for the purpose it was mapped out, and the rich resources of Abia State would be used to transform the state. He vowed to review the last appointments and recruitments made by the previous administration of Okezie Ikpeazu.
The new Governor informed corrupt persons who looted the state’s resources that his administration would come after them through legal means. He described the present state of Abia to be in a quagmire, blaming the situation on mismanagement of the state’s resources and deep corruption.
The Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Ahmed Datti, National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, were among the dignitaries that attended the swearing-in ceremony. Also present were former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, former Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, and other prominent Nigerians.
In summary, Otti’s swearing-in as Governor of Abia State comes with a promise to transform the state by tackling infrastructure challenges, enhancing education, agriculture, health, and security. He promised to pay the May 2023 salaries of Abia State workers and abolish the dichotomy between core and non-core civil servants. His administration intends to review the last appointments and recruitments made by the previous administration, and advise against stealing or diverting government funds into private pockets.
