Being a visionary leader, an advocate for development, innovations, Governor Alex Otti’s legacies in transforming Abia State and the lives of people within the state through his commitment beyond any doubt has revealed his passion in making sure other states in Nigeria emulates the path he is towing.
Prior to him venturing into politics he has been passionate about the development of his state, a statement he made when the state inaugurated the Geometric Power Plant in Aba, which his administration worked assiduously upon completion of the project.
Ever before he ventured into politics, Alex Otti was a banker, Investor and a business growing person. Quitting the banking job in 2014, Alex Otti ventured into politics. He persevered in his political pursuits, initially aligning with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to achieve his ambitions. Recognizing obstacles hindering his quest for the party’s gubernatorial ticket, he departed the APC and joined the Labour Party in May 2022.
When he joined the Labour party, he contested for the post of the party flag bearer and was declared unopposed for the governorship election in 2022.
In the 2023 general elections, he defeated Ikechi Emenike of the APC and Okey Ahiwe of the People’s Democratic Party PDP who were his major rivals and emerged as the governor of Abia State in the keenly contested governorship election. Otti was almost robbed of his victory by the rival political parties, who did everything humanly possible to upturn the results to their favour but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer for the election Prof. Nnenna Oti frustrated their efforts and declared Otti winner of the poll.
After being declared the winner of the election, Governor Otti’s commitment to State development became even more apparent as he took on the responsibility of fulfilling the promises he made before taking office. Since assuming his position, he has become a prominent figure in the media, and the people of his Srate are starting to see the tangible results of his words.
Prior to him becoming the Governor, sometimes in 2010, the founder of Geometrics Power Limited and ex-Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, approached him when he (Governor Otti) was the Executive Director of First Bank for funding.
He said, “We processed an $85 million facility for him (Nnaji).”
His statement confirmed his commitment to the advancement of his State.
During his campaign, Governor Otti made promises to the people of the state, and based on his track record, they perceived him as a messiah who would bring liberation and turn their dreams into reality. The trust the people placed in Otti likely influenced their decision to overwhelmingly vote for him in the last gubernatorial election. Recognizing the pivotal role that power and good roads play in fostering development, Governor Otti prioritized these areas as they would significantly boost the State’s economy.
While inaugurating geometric power, Otti said, “by the time we took over on the 29th of May, we sat down with Geometric a few times and engaged with NNPC. They deployed their partners and gas was made available.”
Governor Alex Otti announced that the Geometric Power Limited plant currently supplies 141 megawatts of power to the state and will increase to 181 megawatts upon the delivery of the final turbine. He assured that power outages would soon become rare in the state.
Describing the power plant as the first integrated electricity facility in Nigeria, located in the Osisioma Industrial Hub of Aba in Abia, Otti emphasized that power outages are now exceptional following the recent launch of the 181-megawatt Geometric Power Plant.
Speaking further on the power project, Otti said, “This is a project that was started in 2004, during the administration of Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.”
He added that the $800 million project, including the building of a 27-kilometer natural gas pipeline championed by Geometric Power Limited, has the capacity to generate and distribute 181 megawatts of power.
Setting himself apart from other politicians who often make promises and fail to fulfill them, Otti demonstrated his commitment to action by ensuring he delivered on the majority of his promises to the people. Just one month after assuming office, he took decisive action by declaring a state of emergency on road infrastructure in the state. In a remarkable display of determination, he inaugurated the renovation of nine roads in Aba within a single day.
About four months after the commencement of the road project, seven of the roads namely: Cemetery Road (phase 1), Emelogu Road, Shallom Road, MCC/Old Express Road, Umuimo Road, Udeagbala Road, and Jubilee Road have been completed and inaugurated.
Other road projects flagged off by the Governor in Aba have also been completed – Abak Road with adjourning streets, Green Avenue, Queen’s Street, University Road, Omuma Road, and the all-important Port Harcourt Road which had remained not motorable for decades.
Even members of the opposition parties were impressed by the significant advancements in road infrastructure, particularly Otti’s bold decision to entrust the renovation of Port Harcourt Road to a reputable construction firm like Julius Berger. Former Senate President and Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, set aside partisanship and acknowledged Otti’s commitment, stating that engaging Julius Berger to repair the road essentially secured Otti’s ticket for a second term.
Proving that, he is an altruistic leader, he directed that civil servants and pensioners in the State must receive their salaries before political office holders. He lamented that pensioners were owed for so long by previous administrations in the State, and the backlog of the unpaid pensions were cleared by his administration.
He wondered why retired civil servants who served the State were denied their pensions for so long. He noted that paying people their pensions should not be a subject of excitement but explained that the joy in the faces of the retirees stemmed from the fact that they were owed for too long.
“It is indeed regrettable that these great men and women (pensioners), who toiled for the State at the peak of their productive years were owed for so long.
He reaffirmed his commitment during his address to the people of Abia shortly after his inauguration, emphasizing that under no circumstances should senior citizens in the State endure the hardship of unpaid entitlements again.
“I have since directed that full pensions must be paid on or before the 28th of every month, the very same day civil servants in the State get their salaries.
“As a rule, political office holders will only be paid after our obligations to our senior citizens and civil servants have been fulfilled, in full,”.
Understanding the plight of retirees, Otti acknowledged the immense hardship they faced due to the denial of their pensions, which many rely on for sustenance in old age. Tragically, some retirees passed away prematurely as a result. Otti’s new policy offers retirees the opportunity to lead comfortable lives while ensuring that those still in service can dedicate themselves fully to their duties, knowing their future is secure.
In an effort to curb financial mismanagement, Otti criticized the State government’s practice of paying uniform pensions to former governors and deputies, viewing it as a misuse of state resources. He argued that these funds could be better invested in projects to drive development in the state. After deliberation among members of the State Assembly, they concurred with Otti’s rationale, leading to the repeal of the law enabling such payments.
His move received accolades from many Nigerians, as they saw in him a man who meant well for his state, and with a leader like him the people of Abia will soon get to their Eldorado.
Commending him for the bold step taken, former President Olusegun Obasanjo saluted his courage, just as he admonished other State governors to emulate Otti to reduce the cost of governance.
The former President spoke during a courtesy visit to Otti at his home town Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area of Abia State He congratulated the Governor for ending the pension of former governors and former deputy governors, which he described as daylight robbery.
“The pension scheme for former governor here is atrocious, it’s like daylight robbery because it allows them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere and cart away, whatever they feel like carting away, yet the pension for ordinary people is unpaid, what sort of leadership is that? Obasanjo queried.
“And you came and you said there will be an end to that rascality. I congratulate you and I say to you that I hope that some of your colleagues will follow in your footsteps. You have started but you should never be tired.
“You will be discouraged, you will be abused, you will be called names, but if we have one-third of our states doing what should be done this country will be a different country and you are doing what should be done,” Obasanjo told Otti.
Undoubtedly, Otti may face opposition from his peers, as corruption and poor governance have unfortunately become commonplace among Nigerian governors. Anyone deviating from this trend is likely to be viewed as an adversary simply for choosing to govern with integrity and accountability, thereby standing out from the rest.
As part his plan for the State, Governor Otti says plans are underway to build a technology hub in Aba to boost productivity and accelerate socio-economic development of the State.
The governor explained that the world had transitioned from the industrial era to the information era and that society continually records the invention of technological innovations.
With the governor’s ambitious plans for the State, Abia is poised to emerge as a model of development in Nigeria. It’s hoped that the governor remains undeterred by the criticisms and obstacles thrown at him by detractors who thrive on the status quo and oppose progress in the state.
