By John Ndukauba
I have watched Abia Governor Alex Chioma Otti very closely since he rode on the popularity of ObiWave in the 2023 elections to claim government house.
Remember Gov Otti until the last election lost woefully in the two Governorship elections leading to 2023.
He lost elections under the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA). Recall that Otti had also traversed the political landscape – from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), APGA and the All Progressive Congress(APC) before birthing on Peter Obi led ” Elupee”. It was here Gov Otti finally won Government house Umuahia.
My observation has led me to conclude that aspiring governorship candidates in our country need experience in government/ public service.
Voters ought to demand records of service in the public sector before voting for any candidate.
Gov Otti had a meritorious service in the banking sector but no experience in the public sector. If Otti had served in the public domain , he wouldn’t as his first act in office, sack all permanent secretaries he inherited from his predecessor, Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu without paying them their entitlements.
Otti would not have sacked all members of three statutory bodies set up by the constitution – civil service commission, Judicial Service Commission and the state electoral commission without going through due process.
Gov Otti doesn’t believe in the supremacy of the constitution else he would not have engaged in back & forth with Judicial Service commission workers. He claimed to have worked out the entitlements of JSUN with the State Accountant General amounting to N300billion only for him to backtrack.
Otti would not have shown disdain for the constitution if he had public service experience. He operates from his Umuehim village, in Isi Alangwa South, neglecting Government house built in Umuahia. His lack of public service experience explains the reason for hiring youngsters to serve the state.
At present he’s enmeshed in needless controversy over land for Abia airport. The landlords don’t want the airport but Gov Otti will force it down their throat because he doesnt believe in dialogue and communication. His lack of public service experience accounts for his inability to organize primaries in the Labour Party for the last local govt elections. He deftly moved his team to Z Labour Party and that saved the day for his party- ZedLP or Labour Party. The lack of public service experience is further shown in his directive to the state university’s law and agriculture faculties to relocate to Uturu without consulting the University community.
This reporter visited d Umuahia campus of the department of agriculture and law faculties this past week and was shocked at the looming danger facing the staff and students of d ABSU on the proposed relocation. The two faculties are expected to be in Uturu by March. Meanwhile, there’re no structures on d ground for d incoming staff and students.
My findings will form d background of my next report.