Otti sworn in, promises better Abia

•We achieved all we set out to do, says Ikpeazu
•Abia PDP congratulates new gov, vows to reclaim mandate

Abia State Chief Judge, Justice Lilian Abai, yesterday, swore in Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) and his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, as the governor and deputy governor of the state, respectively, at Umuahia Township Stadium amidst large crowd, comprising politicians of various political parties, businessmen, traditional rulers, public and civil servants, among others.

Addressing the people after taking his oath of office, Otti reassured that his administration would immediately put his campaign promises into action to salvage the state from its sorry state.

According to him, he is challenged by the deficit of the state, as well as over N50 billion required to settle workers salary and pension arrears. He noted he would abolish the dichotomy between core civil and public servants in the state with respect to paying salaries.

The new governor announced that he would immediately declare state of emergency on Aba and waste management, as well as review recruitment and promotions of workers to ensure due process and qualifications. Otti said he would not accept titles, recognitions and awards while in office.

Conspicuously absent at the event were Otti’s predecessor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, and his deputy, Dr. Ude Oko Chukwu.

MEANWHILE, Ikpeazu, who, yesterday, ended his two terms of eight years in office, handed over power to Otti, describing his time in office as “a journey in fidelity to our covenant with the people of Abia; a journey in unprecedented transformation of the infrastructural landscape of the state.”

In his farewell broadcast on Sunday, Ikpeazu disclosed that in the course of his eight-year tenure, there were highs and lows, noting that he was leaving the state better than he met it.

The former governor disclosed that he had outlined plan of action before he took office, detailing key areas he wanted to focus on, as encapsulated in his contract document with the people of the state in which he promised to focus on five pillars of development, comprising education, agriculture, trade and commerce, industries and oil and gas.

He said: “With these, we set out on the journey to transform Abia, and I am proud to announce that we achieved what we set out to do.”

ALSO, Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Otti on his inauguration and assumption of office. PDP, through its spokesman, Abraham Amah, yesterday, in a statement, stated that though the party wishes the new governor well during his time in office, it would still pursue its petition against Otti’s declaration as the governor-elect, which is pending at the Abia Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia.

Abia PDP further told Otti that the party is hopeful that he has capacity to wriggle through the deft intrigues that characterise politics, and deliver on promises to Ndi Abia during his election campaigns.