…Insist governor deserves second term based on performance

Eighty-five political appointees of Abia State Governor Alex Otti have defended his re-election bid, insisting that his administration’s performance justifies another term in office despite criticism from some members of his Ukwa La Ngwa (ULN) ethnic bloc.
The appointees, who met in Umuahia, the state capital, on Thursday, rejected claims that Otti had failed to meet the expectations of Ukwa La Ngwa people or prioritised other parts of the state over his kinsmen.

They argued that the governor had delivered tangible development across Abia since assuming office, adding that his administration had made progress on challenges left unresolved by previous governments.
The meeting followed criticism circulating on social media that Otti, despite being regarded as a son of Ukwa La Ngwa, had not adequately addressed the needs of the area compared with other parts of the state.

Some critics have also questioned whether the governor should receive the bloc’s support for re-election in 2027, arguing that he has not sufficiently met the expectations of his kinsmen.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Uzo Nwachukwu, said the 85 appointees were unanimous in their assessment of Otti’s performance and their support for his second-term ambition.

He added that the mayors and chairmen of the nine local government areas in the Ukwa La Ngwa zone shared their position that the governor deserved re-election.
Nwachukwu, who read a two-page address on behalf of the appointees, described their decision as more than a political resolution.

“Our decisions at this meeting are not mere resolutions, but a covenant we have entered into amongst ourselves and with God. We mean every strand of the words we have written down here, and we want to communicate the same to our people,” he said.
The appointees said they were concerned about what they described as politically motivated narratives portraying the people of Ukwa La Ngwa as opposed to Otti’s administration.

They said they identified with the governor’s vision and policies, describing him as a son of the area whose administration had undertaken development projects across the state, including in Ngwa land.
The group also vowed to resist what it called attempts by politicians to damage the relationship between the governor and his kinsmen, while acknowledging the right of citizens to express political opinions and disagree with the government.

However, the appointees criticised those giving an ethnic dimension to their opposition to Otti, describing arguments over whether the governor was genuinely Ngwa as unnecessary.
They argued that a person’s place of birth and ancestry could not be altered by political considerations and said they would not engage in what they considered unproductive arguments over the governor’s ethnic identity.

The group urged Ukwa La Ngwa sons and daughters to avoid using the area’s political platform to advance what it described as the personal ambitions of politicians. It also appealed to residents to remain calm and allow the administration to continue its development agenda.
Reaffirming their support, the appointees said Ukwa La Ngwa people were adequately represented in Otti’s government and were contributing to its policies and programmes.

They pledged continued support for the governor’s re-election, with Nwachukwu expressing confidence that Otti would secure another term in 2027.
The governor’s Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, also criticised those he accused of placing personal and family interests above the collective welfare of Abia State.

Ajagba, who is also from Ukwa La Ngwa, called for issue-based political campaigns focused on the state’s development challenges rather than ethnic identity or personal grievances.
He argued that three years would not be enough to resolve problems accumulated over 24 years, adding that the administration was working to address what he described as years of maladministration.

“The kind of campaigns we should be looking at should be issue-based campaigns, things that will address the challenges Abia is facing,” he said.
Ajagba accused some of Otti’s critics of contributing to the problems they now blamed on the governor and urged them to offer constructive alternatives.

He said the administration would not be distracted from its agenda, insisting that Abia should not return to the conditions that preceded Otti’s tenure.
The meeting underscores the political debate within Ukwa La Ngwa over Otti’s performance and the extent to which his administration should receive the bloc’s support ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

While the appointees maintained that the governor had delivered across the state, they did not provide a detailed breakdown of projects or comparative data to substantiate their claim that development had been distributed equitably.