Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State says he will now settle down and rebuild Abia because his distractions were over with the Supreme Court affirmation of his victory in the 2023 polls.
This is as Abia residents on Saturday held a rally to celebrate the Supreme Court’s verdict that affirmed Gov. Otti as the duly elected governor of the state.
The rally which was held in Umuahia South Local Government Area, following the judgment of the apex court on Friday, was tagged “Victory March”.
He said that many people lost hope in his being elected again because he won the election on two occasions but his mandate was stolen.
At Umuahia South Local Government Area, many Abia residents trooped out to join in the rally which began at about 10:30 am from the Council Headquarters and passed through various communities in the area.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a Labour Party (LP) Chieftain, Mr. Achor Obioma, said that the verdict of the apex court could be best described as the expressed will of the people of Abia.
Obioma thanked God for giving the governor victory and added that the people of Abia were indeed pleased with the judgment.
He also thanked the people of Abia and members of Labour Party for their support during the period that the litigations lasted.
Obioma said that Otti, being the only governor from Labour Party, had a serious task to deliver good governance and the dividends of democracy to the people.
“I can tell you that change has already started coming and the people of Abia have seen the difference between the present administration and past administrations.
“The people of Abia have seen that government can actually work for the people.
“Dr Alex Otti has shown that the government is here to work for the people and we are making sacrifices to ensure that Abia takes it pride of place in the comity of states,” he said.
Another Labour Party Chieftain, Mr. Onyebuchi Onyegbule, expressed delight over the verdict, adding that it was a welcome development.
Onyegbule added that the governor’s victory had positioned the state government on a progressive path for the achievement of enhanced and even socioeconomic development.
He said: “The litigations are over and now we are focused on moving the state forward because the governor came prepared to do the job given to him by the people of Abia.”
Also, the Transition Committee Chairman of Umuahia South LGA, Mr. Obike Nnochiri, said that Otti’s victory was well deserved.
According to Nnochiri, this is a journey that started in 2015 and today we have gotten a well-deserved victory through the help of God.
He said that the present administration sincerely appreciated the unwavering support, dedication and involvement of the people of Abia.
For his part, the Chairman of Labour Party in Umuahia South LGA, Mr. Chukwudi Okpoto, said that the present administration had shown commitment to rebuild Abia, adding that this victory would further strengthen its resolve.
“The government has already started delivering the dividends of democracy and it is visibly seen across the state in the form of road projects and enhanced power supply among others.
“So Labour Party has come to stay as we have won and God has done it for us,” Okpoto said.
Mrs. Nma Ekeh, the Founder of Heaven at Home Elderly Home, an NGO, said that she was delighted with Otti’s victory and added that it meant a lot to her.
Ekeh said that the governor had started on the right footing and that she was expecting more good things from him in the days ahead.
Aba traders
Meanwhile, traders in Aba have described Gov. Alex Otti’s victory at the Supreme Court as a victory for the people of Abia and democracy in Nigeria at large.
Some of the traders, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said that the Nigerian Judiciary has restored the trust of the masses.
NAN reports that the candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Okey Ahiwe, and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Ikechi Emenike, had challenged Gov. Otti’s victory at the 2023 gubernatorial election.
The court dismissed their appeals.
Ikechukwu Njoku, a printer, expressed happiness over the apex Court’s Judgement and noted that such has been the Aba residents’ prayers.
“Today we are rejoicing that the battle is over and we are happy that the Jubilee road which had been an eye sore, Queens and Hospital roads are now motorable.
“Otti is a candidate that we know that can change the narrative of Aba and that was why we voted for him massively.
“Before now, Aba was a rejected area but now we are enjoying it. My plea is that the governor should put an end to the illegal tax collection by unknown persons in Aba for security reasons,” Okoro said.
Victor Adindu, who is a printer, said that Otti was God sent to liberate Aba, and that the state had never had it good in governance since after Chief Sam Mbakwe of the then Imo State.
“I know that Otti will do well because he has started work at the major roads but he still has to do more work at some other important roads in the city,” Adindu said.
The government needs to repair the road that leads to Obigbo Aba main and the Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom road as that will help to improve business in the city.
“A battery seller, Uche Maduako, believes that Otti has a positive mission to accomplish in the state, describing him as an industrialist.
“Aba is known as the Japan of Africa but the problems we are facing at the moment are bad road network, electricity and security.
“If the government can arrest these challenges, Aba will grow to the people’s expectations,” Maduako said.
