By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABA—Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, in Abia State, has said he has nothing against Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, but will continue to fight against the system that produced him in which he was allegedly imposed against all democratic norms and practices.

Ikpeazu and Otti

Otti who spoke at a thanksgiving service organized by APGA in Aba, insisted that he and his party would ensure that the government remains on its toes and deliver on the social contract it has with the people.

He, however, added that he wants Gov. Ikpeazu to succeed in order to end the sufferings of the people and urged him to stop certain practices which hinder the development of the state.

Otti said: “Having accepted the Supreme Court judgment no matter how flawed, we want the governor to succeed because if he does not, it is the Abia people who will suffer at the end of the day. To succeed, he must not only repent, but purge himself of these primitive and primordial practices that have continued to present the state as a theatre of absurdities.”

“Some of these practices include the payment of monthly stipends to some lazy and jobless people masquerading as leaders, godfathers and stakeholders. Willful destruction of properties belonging to persons perceived as supporters of Otti and exploitation of Abia residents with the use of thugs must stop.”

The APGA governorship candidate vowed never to congratulate Gov. Ikpeazu on his victory, stressing that such would amount to an endorsement of what he described as an illegality.

According to him, “To the agents of PDP and Abia State government, who desperately want to hear us congratulate Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu in the spirit of sportsmanship, my answer is this; you are ignorant of the meaning of sportsmanship. From day one, you disobeyed the rules guiding the game as you threatened, attacked, assaulted, intimidated, and maimed innocent Abians and violently rigged the elections. So, where lay the spirit of sportsmanship in the contest?

“If we congratulate you that would amount to endorsement of criminality. Rather than demanding for unjust and undeserved congratulatory message from me and my party, the PDP should rather express remorse and repentance and forgiveness from God and Abians.”