. His strides big hurdle for opposition – YPP 2023 guber running mate

By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA – Abia monarchs have expressed satisfaction with the midterm scorecard of Governor Alex Otti, declaring his achievements so far as “unprecedented” since the history of the state.

This is as the 2023 governorship running mate of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, and 2024 Vanguard Entrepreneur of the Year, Dr Chima Anyaso, submitted that Otti had through his incontrovertible achievements, become a big challenge for the opposition in 2027.

Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Linus Nto Mbah (LINTO), who spoke on behalf of the royal fathers while assessing the midterm performances of the Governor, said Otti had made indelible imprints in so many sectors of the state economy.

The monarch said that Gov. Otti had “within two years in office, changed the narratives in road infrastructure, healthcare, education and the state economy”.

He particularly commended the Governor for the massive “renovation of schools, introduction of free and compulsory basic education, retrofitting of 200 primary healthcare centres and upgrading some healthcare facilities to specialist hospitals”.

According to him, Otti’s achievements in critical sectors of the state economy including security “are unparalleled.”

He further lauded the Governor for improving and prioritising the welfare of Abia workers especially for paying salaries and pension arrears accumulated by his predecessors.

Eze Mbah also commended the Governor for regular payment of workers’ salaries and pensions on the 28th of every month, a development, he said had rekindled the hope of workers and retirees.

Similarly, the monarch hailed Otti “for increasing the monthly stipend of Traditional Rulers in Abia State from paltry sum to N250,000 each every month”; and “for completing and furnishing the secretariat of traditional rulers at JAAC building”.

While praying God “to continue to strengthen the Governor as he enters the 3rd year of his administration”, the monarch encouraged Abians and residents “to sustain their support” for the Governor.

Meanwhile, the YPP deputy governorship candidate in 2023, while giving his assessment of Otti’s performance, said the Governor had through identifiable projects, made things difficult for his opponents.

“His giant strides are posing a formidable challenge for opposition parties particularly those entrenched in adversarial politics”, Anyaso said in a statement.

This was the salient point made by the Young Progressive Party (YPP) Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last 2023 Gubernatorial elections in Abia State, Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso, at various meetings with his party’s state leadership and gatherings of select stakeholders from Bende Local Government recently.

Anyaso said that, “although there exist isolated dissenting voices opposing the Governor, the overwhelming majority of Abians remain steadfastly aligned with Governor Otti.”

According to him those who still oppose or criticise the Governor are insignificant minority.

Anyaso noted that “the democratic framework prevailing in Abia State and Nigeria is a pointer to the fact that it is the majority that ultimately dictates electoral outcomes.”

The YPP chieftain and business guru who has consistently championed the cause of good governance, and persistently advocated enhanced infrastructural development, said he would not hesitate to commend Gov. Otti for performing.

He particularly lauded the Governor for his infrastructural strides, describing his policy initiatives as exceptional.